


After a Litre of Tears

by xxAriaxx



Category: Vocaloid
Genre: Angst, Bullying, Drama, Enemies to Friends, F/M, Flashbacks, Friendship, High School, Long term illness, Romance, Sibling Love, Sibling Protection, Teens are Monsters, Trust
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-02-12
Updated: 2018-08-14
Packaged: 2018-09-23 16:10:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 23
Words: 45,346
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9665012
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/xxAriaxx/pseuds/xxAriaxx
Summary: Starting high school, Kokone accidentally creates drama with Len, who enjoys taunting her on a daily basis. However, when Kokone notices Len's awkward movements, she realizes Len may be suffering from the same disease that killed her sister.





	1. Spinocerebellar Ataxia

**Author's Note:**

> I have already posted a few chapters of this on FF and wattpad, but this is my first time posting on this site orz ;;

Kokone was only five years old when she had first heard of spinocerebellar ataxia. She was awaken by the arguing of her parents one summer morning, and she no longer knew what to do. The fights between her mother and father had began in the early spring of that year. If she ever understood the conversations, all Kokone knew was it has always been about her eldest sister.

Miku was, and still is, Kokone’s favorite person in the world. She was ten years older than little Kokone, and in Kokone’s eyes, Miku was perfect. With long, teal hair tied in twin tails, cerulean eyes that sparkled with life, and a soft, slender body, Miku was adored by all who met her. As a small child, Kokone had decided that she wants to be exactly like Miku.

When Miku began high school, Kokone noticed a physical change in her. Starting in the first week of school, Miku fell constantly. Often, she lost her grip on the items she held. Miku walked into walls. Her footing was uncoordinated. When Kokone had realized it, Miku had to visit the hospital many times.

When the arguing woke her up, Kokone jumped out of bed and went to the room where her sisters slept in. Although she had really wanted to, Kokone couldn’t wake Miku up, for the latter was in a medical condition. Instead, she climbed to the top bunk of the bed and crawled on top of Lapis. She poked the older girl until she opened her eyes. That moment, the argument had worsen, growing louder each second. When she heard them, Lapis was then wide awake. Understanding why Kokone woke her up, Lapis climbed out of bed and left her room.

Kokone remained in bed. Her parents were still arguing. Then a voice that was once soft spoken yelled at the two. Suddenly, Kokone could hear Lapis clearly.

“If you don’t want us to know anything about Miku’s condition, then do a better job keeping it a secret!”

Silence arrived for a short period of time. Then, Kokone heard a door open, and two boys walked by the bedroom. The smaller boy simply went by, but the older boy noticed Kokone.

“What are you doing in Lapis-nee’s bed?” her brother, Kiyoteru, asked while he walked towards the bed. “Come down,” he kindly commanded her while extending his arms towards her. Doing what he had told her, Kokone went to climb down and allowed her brother to grab her and place her on the floor. The two left the room, never waking Miku. They had traveled to the first floor, where they were greeted by their mother.

“Please, come to the table,” their mother, Meiko, told them and led them to the room where Lapis, their brother Kyo, and their father Kaito were at. Kiyoteru took a chair next to Kyo, and Kokone sat in between Kyo and Lapis. Kaito and Meiko stood on the other side of the table.

“We have some very important news to tell you,” Kaito began.

“It concerns your older sister Miku,” Meiko spoke next.

With a pause and a glance at the faces of the four children, they continued simultaneously.

“Your sister, Miku, has spinocerebellar ataxia,”

~~~

Kokone has been wide awake long before her parents could open their eyes from their slumber. She had longed for this day to come. On this day, Kokone begins her first day of high school. With beaming excitement, Kokone shot out of bed.

As dawn arrives and the sun rises, Kokone does her bathroom necessities. She then proceeds to cook breakfast for herself and her parents. The sun finally peaks from the horizon when she finish cooking. Placing the food at the table where she had first learned of her now deceased sister’s illness nearly ten years ago, Kokone returns to her room.

Only ten minutes were spent changing into her school uniform. It’s not new clothes for Kokone. In fact, she desires to wear the seifuku that once belonged to her two older sisters. Kokone believes she can feel the presence of Miku and Lapis with her. Looking at the mirror, Kokome admire herself and spun around in her uniform.

In several minutes, Kokone return downstairs and her parents are awake at last. They notice the food on the table and stare in awe. 

“What a wonderful meal my daughter has prepared!” Kaito exclaim.

“You must have been awake for a while, Kokone,” Meiko comment before sitting down. “You didn’t have to, dear. Today is your first day of school.”

“I couldn’t sleep,” Kokone told them with a smile. “I felt like cooking for all of us.”

“Isn’t our daughter amazing?” Kaito sits down and ask his wife. “Don’t we have the greatest children in the world?” When Kokone sits down, he cheer happily, “Itadakimasu!” Meiko and Kokone repeat him. They eat their meal and continue their conversations.

“Can’t you believe it Meiko?” Kaito ask. “Kokone starts high school. Kyo is in college. Kiyoteru begins his career.”

“Lapis is continuing her studies to be a doctor,” Meiko continue for her husband.

Kokone has been the first to finish breakfast. “I’ll be heading out!” She exclaim.

“Wait, Kokone!” Meiko shouts to her daughter. “Remember that your older siblings are visiting today. Your father wants a family photo. Don’t stay out too late,” she reminds her.

“Okay,” Kokone nods. “I’m heading out!” She cheers and ran to the door. She sits down, placing her school bag and art bag next to her and put on her shoes. When they were on, Kokone grabs her bags and stood up.

“Goodbye!” She cheer and left her home.

Never had April felt so wonderful to her. The wind lightly brushes against Kokone as she runs. The rays of the sun bring warmth to her. Kokone keeps jogging to her favorite place, up on a hill where she saw the entire town. When she finally reach it, she took her phone out and took a picture. With a smile, she speaks as if she is not alone.

“I’m starting high school today, Onee-sama.”

Putting her phone away, Kokone pulls out a book with the word Diary and the name Miku on it. Holding it close to her heart, Kokone looks up at the sky.

“Please, watch over me as I start my new adventure, Onee-sama.”

With those words, Kokone left her favorite spot and went on to her way to school. As she did so, she thinks of Miku, her elder sister, who may be smiling over her little sister and protecting her from the dark. Perhaps, Miku is there, shielding Kokone from any pain. It has been a little over three months since Miku left, but Kokone still feels her presence near her. To Kokone, Miku is still living inside her. With that belief, Kokone believes she can overcome everything.


	2. First Day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ten years ago, Miku was eager to start high school. Present day, Kokone's first day of school is decent at the start.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I got caught up with school and forgot to update this orz

“Tada!” Miku cheered as she ran downstairs to the dining room where the rest of her family was at. Lapis, Kiyoteru, and Kyo were already eating breakfast while Meiko fixed Kokone’s outfit to make her look nice for kindergarten. “What do you think?” Miku asked as she spun around in her school uniform.

“It fits you so well!” Meiko replied so happily.

“You look lovely, Miku-nee!” Little Kokone cheered happily. 

“Really?” 

“You look good,” Kiyoteru complimented.

“Not bad at all,” Kyo responded.

“I want to wear that too,” Lapis remarked, eyeing her sister’s uniform.

“Then go to the same high school,” Miku told her happily.

“I will,” Lapis told her. “I will do my best.”

“I’m sorry I can’t go to your school entrance ceremony,” Meiko apologized.

“It’s okay,” Miku responded as she sat down. “It can’t be helped. You have work.”

“I’m ready,” Kaito announced as he walked into the room wearing a tuxedo.

“What are you doing?” Meiko questioned. “Why are you dressed like that?”

“I’m going to the school entrance ceremony,” he answered.

“What about work?”

“I can come in late.”

“Won’t you get in trouble?”

“It’s okay,” Kaito reassured. “I talked to my boss about it. They’re okay with it.”

“Hey, father,” Miku got her dad’s attention. “Can we take a picture?”

“Sure!” Kaito smiled.

When they were done eating, everyone went outside. Miku stood in front of Kaito who brought his camera with him. 

“Okay, Miku! Let’s go! Smile!”

Several pictures of Miku were taken. This was a memory for her first day of high school.

“Mama! Pose with Miku!” Kaito cheered, and he took a photo of Meiko and Miku together. “Okay! Everyone, together now!”

The whole family got together. Kaito set up his camera, so it can take a photo in seconds. Kaito ran behind his family. “Okay, everyone, smile!” The whole family got together. Miku was in between her mother and Lapis. Kaito was between Lapis and Kiyoteru. Kyo was in front of Kaito. Kokone was in front of Meiko. Kiyoteru and Lapis were in their uniforms for junior high school. Miku wore her high school uniform.

The picture snapped, and everyone smiled happily.

“I’m off to school,” Lapis announced immediately.

“I’m going,” Kiyoteru followed. 

“Bye!” Kyo waved farewell as he followed his two older siblings.

“I need to go too,” Miku announced. “Bye!”

“Bye!” Kokone waved goodbye as she watched her siblings leave, heading to their schools. As Miku was walking, Kokone thought she saw her sister nearly trip over her feet. 

~~~

“Kokone-chan!”

The lunch break finally arrives. So far, Kokone is enjoying her first day of school. Even better, she has been placed in the same class as her two best friends.

“Gumi-chan!” Kokone greets her friend. “Let’s get Miki-chan and head to the cafeteria,” she informs her. The two girls got up and went to their redhead friend. Once Miki is ready, she and the two girls depart and went straight to the cafeteria. No one bothers to pack on their first day. They usually just buy lunch at school. High school will be no different, they decide. 

Entering the large room where students are eating at, the three girls got in line for their food. After their purchase, they look around the cafe, trying to find a good spot to eat at. Kokone is the lead among the three girls. She looks around, finally finding a decent spot and heads there. Gumi and Miki follow her. As Kokone walks, another person completely bumps into her, throwing her off balance.

And Kokone fell on the person next to her, her lunch spilling on the student.

The area the two are at turns silent. Slowly, Kokone held herself up and saw the scene in front of her. A boy with blonde hair lie on the floor, covered in a mess that was once Kokone’s meal. Realizing what had happened, Kokone stood up quickly.

“I’m sorry!”

“Look at what you did!” A girl with long hair and rainbow bangs shouts at her. “Thanks to you, Len is dirty!”

The boy, Len, sits up on the floor, and he gives a death glare to Kokone.

“I had made myself look presentable for the first day of school, and you drop your food on me. What’s wrong with you?”

“I’m sorry,” Kokone apologize and bow to him. She could hear the gossip going on around her.

“What a clumsy girl.”  
“Poor Kagamine Len.”  
“Who is that girl, and what was she thinking?”  
“It was just an accident.”

~~~

“It was horrible,” Kokone murmurs while her brother, Kyo, holds back his laughter. Hearing him, Kokone snaps and she bangs her fist to the table. “It’s not funny!”

“I’m sorry,” the laughter cease and Kyo manage to calm down. “Sounds like a rough first day, little sis.”

“And that wasn’t the end of it,” Kokone continue to recite her day. “That boy is in the same class as me, and he told everyone about it. When the day ended, people pointed at me and go ‘It’s the klutz that poured her lunch on Kagamine-san!’”

“Wow,” Kyo comment. “Sounds rough.”

“So sorry that happened,” Kiyoteru comforts his younger sister.

“It’s fine,” Kokone said. “Everything will be okay.”

“Father is coming,” Lapis announce to her younger siblings.

“I want to stay like this,” Kokone comment, placing her head on her older brother. Kyo laugh and Kiyoteru smile. Kokone was exactly the same as she was when she was a child. “Too bad things changed,” Kokone mutters under her breathe.

“What are you talking about?” Lapis questions her little sister. “Things aren’t too different.”

“Things are very different now,” Kokone told her. “You three aren’t around anymore, so I’m all alone.” Kokone sigh and sat up. “Kyo-nii got his own place and start college. Kiyo-nii is a teacher now. Lapis-nee is becoming a doctor.” Kokone clench her fists.

“Miku-nee is not around anymore.”

The siblings become silent and remembers their sister Miku. It has been a little while now, probably four months, since Miku gave her last breath. 

“You know,” Lapis speaks quietly. “Miku-nee is watching us.”

“That’s right,” Kyo responds.  
“And Miku-nee isn’t suffering anymore,” Kiyoteru comments.

“Yeah,” Kokone agrees. “She can finally be at peace.”

Suddenly, the front door opened. “I’m home!” Kaito cheers.

“Welcome home!” the four siblings responds happily, briefly forgetting their mourning.

“Oh! Lapis! Kiyoteru! Kyo!” Kokone’s three older siblings stood up and went to hug their father. “I miss you guys so much. How’s work, Kiyoteru? How are your studies, Lapis? Are you happy at college, Kyo?”

“We’ve been fine,” Lapis answers her father.

“Oh, welcome home, darling,” Meiko greets her husband as she enter the room. “Should we take a family photo?”

“Of course!” Kaito cheers happily. “Everyone let’s go outside!” The family leaves together. Going outside, Kaito brings his camera with him. “Everyone, stand together,” he announces as he set his camera. When everything is clear, Kaito runs to his family. 

“Everyone, smile!”

Everyone stands, staring at the camera with a smile. The camera takes a picture. Kaito is in between Lapis and Kyo. Meiko is in between Kokone and Kiyoteru. Everyone is in formal wear, aside from Kokone who is still in her school uniform.

This becomes a memory of Kokone’s first day at her new school.

~~~

Miku-nee,

Today, I began high school. Sadly, it didn’t go as well as I hope. I might have made an enemy unintentionally. Oh well. It doesn’t matter because I have my friends Miki and Gumi by my side. 

I also have your diary. I have decided. As my high school days go by, I’ll read your diary and compare. I really shouldn’t though, since school didn’t go so well for you because of your condition. But it’ll be fun.

Hey, I’m sure Kagamine-san isn’t going to leave me alone. Will you protect me from him as much as you can?

Thank you, Miku-nee!

I miss you!

Good night!


	3. Face Wounds

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ten years ago, Kokone saw her sister fall and hurt herself.  
> Present day, Kokone visits her other sister when she sees a familiar face.

Every morning has been the same. The five siblings would eat breakfast together and converse happily. Their mother would clean up after them, and their father would prepare for work. Then when they finished eating, they would depart to school. Meiko would take Kokone to kindergarten on her way to work. Kyo walked to elementary school. Kiyoteru and Lapis went to middle school, and Miku went to high school. Every morning, Kokone would wave goodbye to her siblings as they left.

 

On one particular morning in April, however, everything seemed to be the same. The siblings ate their meals so happily. Kaito was dressed for work. Meiko continued to clean after the kids. After eating, the children departed. First, Kyo left. Then Lapis and Kiyoteru followed. Finally, Miku left. Kokone followed Miku outside, as she always did, and Kokone would watch her sister leave.

 

“See you later, Kokone!” Miku cheered farewell as she left her sister.

 

“Byebye Miku-nee!” Kokone waved back to her sister and watched her leave.

 

On this morning, however, there was a difference. As Miku was jogging away, Kokone watched her as always. Then, suddenly, out of nowhere, Miku collapsed to the ground. Kokone watched in shock as her sister suddenly fell with no warning. 

 

“Miku…” Kokone snapped out of her shock and turn to open the door. “Mama! Papa! Miku fell!” Immediately afterwards, the little girl ran straight to her older sister. “Are you okay, Miku-nee?” Kokone tenderly asked with worry. Miku was trying not to cry, but her face was in pain. Kokone noticed the blood on her sister’s chin.

 

In a few seconds, Kaito came out, and Meiko followed. Seeing their two daughters, one of them being on the ground, they both ran after the two girls. 

 

“Miku!” Kaito cried. “What happened? Are you okay?”

 

Meiko was holding a towel on her hand. Seeing the blood on her daughter’s face, Meiko pressed the towel to it and Miku held it. “I’ll take her to a hospital,” Meiko announced. “Can you stand?” she asked her daughter. Slowly, with her parents’ help, Miku stood up. The four walked towards the car parked in front of their home. Meiko opened the back door and helped Miku get inside. Kaito opened the front and start the engine. “Darling, you have work,” Meiko told him.

 

“But,” Kaito worried very deeply for his daughter.

 

“Take care of Kokone, please,” Meiko told him, reminding him they have another child, one that needs to be taken to school.

 

“I will. Be careful.”

 

Meiko took the front seat. Closing the door, Meiko went and drove away with Miku in the back seat. Only Kaito and Kokoke were left.

 

“Will Miku-nee be okay?” The little girl asked her father.

 

“I’m sure she will,” Kaito reassured his youngest child. “Now, let’s get ready for school.”

 

~~~

 

The past few weeks has been quite eventful for Kokone. After the accident on her first day of school, Len has been badmouthing Kokone nonstop. In addition, several students pulled pranks on Kokone. One morning, Kokone went to her shoe locker to find her shoes filled with tacks. One afternoon, Kokone received a letter for someone to meet her that afternoon, and when she went there, no one showed up at all. Students point at her and called her the klutz that fell on Kagamine Len.

 

Strangely, none of this bothers Kokone. She just sighs and moves on, reading her book that once belonged to her beloved older sister Miku. 

 

“Hey, what are you reading?” Len came to Kokone one afternoon and tried to taunt her. The brunette ignore him and continue reading. “What? Are you ignoring me?” He asks bitterly. Kokone kept reading, “Hey!” Angry that Kokone isn’t responding to him, Len went and reach for the book. Noticing his movement, Kokone close the book and pull it towards her, placing it to her chest.

 

“No,” Kokone scolds Len. “Don’t touch my book.” This may be the only thing Kokone cares about. Her book is precious to her. No one is allowed to touch it, ever.

 

Len made a click sound with his mouth. “Stubborn brat,” he mutters under his breath, and Kokone hears him. Len walks away from her and joins his friends. Kokone watches as he walks away, and she notices him nearly tripping on his feet over nothing and he walk right into a desk, which brought the attention of his friends.

 

“Are you okay?” One call out.

 

“Of course I am,” Len answer. “I just fell.”

 

‘Strange,’ Kokone thinks to herself. ‘For a second, he was walking the same way she was walking…’ Ignoring it, Kokone returns to her book, resuming her reading.

 

_ April 19, 1995 _

_ I fell down and hurt my face. I had to get a bandage on my chin. It really hurt. When I fell, my youngest sister Kokone came to me and called my parents. My mother took me to the hospital where I was examined. When I got home, my mother treated me with a nice lunch, and when my siblings saw me, they asked what had happened. _

 

_ I’m glad to have a family that loves me so much. My parents are always supportive, and my brothers and sisters look up to me as I am the oldest. I hope everything is okay. _

 

~~~

 

The next day, Kokone wakes up and prepares herself to go to the hospital. The previous day, her sister Lapis had went to her home, wanting to take a short break and converse with her mother who had a day off. When she came over, Lapis brought a bit of her work with her. Lapis stayed at home until late at night, and Kokone departed from her dear sister. 

 

However, Lapis left behind a document that she needed for work the next day. When Meiko had finally found it, she called Lapis, and the blue haired woman asked to have it taken to her at the hospital the next morning. Meiko went to Kokone before the teenager went to bed and asked her to take it to the hospital on her way to school.

 

After eating her breakfast with her parents, Kokone got everything she needs, her school bag and her art bag. She grabs the document and place it in her school back. Having everything she is taking with her, Kokone leaves her home and walks to the hospital down in the city. As it was a long walk, Kokone left earlier than usual. As she travels, Kokone admires her surroundings. In the townside, the houses appear to be clean and well taken care of by their owners. Some children were leaving their homes to go to school. Parents went to work.

 

Reaching the city, Kokone sits down on a bench and waits for the bus to pick her. When it arrives, Kokone enters and she took a spot. As the bus takes her to her destination, Kokone takes out her sister’s diary and resumes reading it.

 

_ Dr. Camui told me to write everything in my diary. I was to write down everything I felt wasn’t right about me, about my movements, how I’m feeling, etc. This will be easy, as I have been writing in my diary since middle school. I started this one to write down everything going on in my high school life, as I want to remember all the good memories I will have with my friends. _

 

Once the bus stop at where Kokone needs to be at, she got off and continue her way to the hospital. As she finally reach it, Kokone examines the tall building, remembering it as Miku’s home the last few years. Ever since Kokone started junior high school, she would come to the hospital every day to visit her sister, who had been bedridden due to her disease. Even if she had homework to do, Kokone spent many hours with her beloved older sister. This had been her routine up until December of the previous year, when Miku could no longer fight for her life. 

 

Entering the building, Kokone went straight to where Lapis would be. Because of her visits, Kokone knows exactly where her sister is at. Lapis entered college to become a doctor, and because of how intelligent she was, Lapis earned her title in the medical field and gain her own office, right next to Dr. Camui, the doctor who had taken care of Miku the past ten years.

 

Kokone is well near the door to her sister’s office when it opens. A figure took several steps out, and Kokone gasp at the sight of the person.

 

“Kagamine-san?”

 

Hearing her, Len turn his head, and Kokone saw the bandage on his face.

 

“Why the hell are you here?” he ask her bitterly.

 

“What happened to your face?” she asks, ignoring his question.

 

“I ask you why you are here.” he bitterly scoff at her.

 

“Is that my sister?” A sweet voice calls out. Len turn to the door, and a beautiful figure steps out to look at Kokone. “Oh, there you are, Kokone-chan.”

 

Reaching in her bag, Kokone pulls out the document. “I got what you wanted, Lapis-nee.”

 

“Lapis-nee?” Len listen to the conversation, and upon hearing Kokone casually talking to his doctor, referring to her as a sister, Len stare in shock. “You two are sisters?” He question in surprise. “You two don’t even look alike.”

 

“Well, that’s because I got my looks from our father,” Lapis begins to explain. “And my sweet little sister got her looks from our mother.”

 

“Unbelievable,” Len comment. The entire time when he was being checked up, Len developed a slight crush on Lapis, as she was very sweet and beautiful. Now, to hear that she was the older sister of the girl who spilled her lunch on him on the first day of school, Len didn’t know what to say. “I’ll just wait in the lobby,” he announce and left the two women behind.

 

Lapis turns to her little sister. “I’m sorry,” she apologize. “This document was important, and I needed to hand it in today. Thank you so much.”

 

“Anything for you, Lapis-nee,” Kokone smiles. Then she ask her next question to her sister.

 

“What happened with Kagamine-san?”

 

~~~

 

_ Miku-nee! _

 

_ School has been alright. Ever since the first day of school though, Kagamine-san has been badmouthing me. In response, his friends had been harassing me. Personally, I don’t really care, largely because Gumi-chan is always defending me while Miki-chan convinces them I’m a good person at heart. It’s nice to have such friends by my side.  _

  
_ The worst that had happened was when Kagamine-san tried to take your diary away from me. I kept it close to me and told him not to touch it. Your journal is precious to me, as it was a gift you have given me that day several years ago. Since you had began writing it in high school, I chose to wait until I started high school to read it. Now, here I am, fifteen years old and trying to survive. I won’t let Kagamine-san bother me. _


	4. Unusual Movements

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ten years ago, Miku got a check-up on her body.  
> Present day, Kokone watches Len's unusual movements.

When she took her daughter out of the car to the hospital, Meiko took a glance at Miku’s hands. There was something unusual, Meiko could tell, but she ignored it. Taking Miku, the woman helped her to the hospital where Miku was treated. As Miku sat out in the lobby with a bandage on her face, Meiko spoke privately to the doctor, Camui Gakupo.

“There are no damages to the bones,” Gakupo explained to Meiko. “There are only scratches on the skin.”

Meiko nodded in relief, but she spoke her true feelings out. “Doctor, there is something I am very worried about,” she began to tell her worries. “Usually, when someone falls, they will naturally use their hands to try and break their fall. Right?”

“Yes.”

“But my daughter has no scratches on her hands, as her face fell straight to the ground.”

“Eh?”

“That’s strange, right?” After speaking this, Meiko continued to speak of the things she had notice the past few weeks. “Recently, Miku is always dropping things, and she can’t hold her chopsticks properly.”

Listening closely, Gakupo began to write in his reports. “How about we have a check up right now, so we can see if there is anything going on in her body?”

“That would be great,” Meiko sighed in relief. After several minutes, Meiko returned to the lobby where Miku was waiting, “Hey, Miku, how about we have a check up?”

“Right now?” Miku asked.

“Right now,” Meiko answered.

“How about school?”

“You can miss it for one day, just please have this check up for your mother.”

“Okay.”

Together, the two walked back into Gakupo’s office, where Miku took her check up.

“When did you start feeling like you couldn’t walk steadily?” He asked.

“Around a month ago, I believe,” Miku answered. “Perhaps I’m not getting enough sleep,” she commented.

“What about falling down?”

“On the day of the entrance exam, I fell twice, but I don’t think that’s a problem.”

“Do you have any speaking difficulties?”

Miku shook her head. “No.”

After answering his questions, Miku was given physical tests to see how well balanced she was. She walked back and forth. She stood on one foot. She practiced placing her finger to Dr. Camui’s finger and her nose back and forth. Finally, Miku’s brain was scanned. Soon, everything was over.

“We will inform you of the results of the check up in several days,” Gakupo told the women.

“Okay,” Meiko nodded.

“Is there something wrong with me?” Miku asked. 

“Every day, I want you to write everything down.”

“I can do that,” Miku answered. “I write in my journal all the time.”

“Perfect,” Gakupo commented. “Write down things you feel aren’t right about yourself.”

“I understand,” Miku told him. “I’ll write everyday, write the things that are wrong.”

~~~

“What happened?”

Hearing her sister, Lapis pulls Kokone away, taking her to a corner where no one was around.

“Remember ten years ago, when Miku fell?” Lapis asks her sister.

“I remember,” Kokone answers, recalling the event ten years ago. 

“Do you recall how Miku’s hands were like at the time?”

“Miku’s hands,” Kokone tries to remember. “There wasn’t a single scratch on them.”

“That’s right,” Lapis tells her. “The same thing happened to Kagamine-san.” Kokone’s eyes widen in shock. “Right now, his mother is speaking to Dr. Camui. You remember him, right?” Kokone nods. “Looks like we’re going to give the boy a check up to see if he is okay.”

“I sure hope everything is okay,” Kokone responds to her. “It’d be bad if Kagamine-san is ill.”

Lapis nods. “Will you make it to school on time.” Kokone nods. “I’ll see you later.”

“Okay,” Kokone turns to leave. “Goodbye, Lapis-nee,” she bid farewell, and Kokone walks down the stairs when Lapis calls for her.

“Thank you for helping me!”

Kokone waves her hand, hearing her, and she leaves the building.

~~~

It seems Len was out for the entire day of school. Kokone notice his absence throughout the day after she had arrived to school. Thankfully, this day had become peaceful to her. She was able to relax with her friends.

The next day, Len return to school with the bandage on this face. Many of his friends asks him about his wound, and Len honestly tells them all he fell. He also tells his friends of his cute doctor, but he leaves out the fact that she is the older sister of Kokone. When Gumi and Miki hears about the cute doctor, Kokone tells them immediately.

“That cute doctor he saw yesterday is my sister,” Kokone boldly informs them.

“Oh really?” Miki asks. 

“Does he know that?” Gumi questions.

“Of course he does,” Kokone answers. “He was so shocked when I went over yesterday to give a document to my sister, and she called me her cute little sister. It was funny seeing his face.”

“Hey, Hatsune-san,” a voice rings out, calling for her. Kokone turns and Galaco stood there with her two friend. “I hope you don’t drop your lunch on poor Len-kun. I’m sure he got his face bruise because of your clumsiness,” she laughs and mocks Kokone. Her friends snicker along and they all went away.

Miki sighs. “It was an accident.”

“That Kagamine brat really isn’t letting this go,” Gumi comments.

“It doesn’t matter,” Kokone tells them.

“How does this not bother you, Kokone-chan?” Gumi wonders. “If it was me, I’d beat them up.”

“Then we’d get in trouble,” Miki laughs.

As her friends continue to talk to each other, Kokone turns to where Len was at. He was conversing with his friends, and Galaco and her friends joins them. Len and Galaco were chatting happily about unknown subjects. Then the group of friends chose to leave the classroom to hang out somewhere. Len walks with them, but unexpectedly, he walks straight into a desk.

“Are you okay?” Someone asks.

“It’s nothing,” Len laughs. “Sometimes, things like this happens.” With that, they all walk away.

“Hey,” Kokone got her friends’ attention. “They tease me for being a klutz, but it seems that Kagamine-san is clumsier than me,” she tells them.

“I noticed that too,” Miki adds. “He’s walking into walls and desks, and he did fell yesterday.”

“How ironic,” Gumi snickers a bit. “He has people teasing Kokone for what happened at lunch that day, yet he can’t even control his own footing.” Gumi and Miki laugh at the former’s statement. Kokone sat in her desk, book in her hand, wondering about Len.

“Don’t you think his clumsiness is a little unusual?” Kokone asks her friends.

“Eh? How so?” Gumi questions back.

“I don’t see anything wrong with it,” Miki answers.

“I see,” Kokone remarks.

“Hey, are you worried about Kagamine-san?” Miki questions her.

“Eh, you shouldn’t worry about a guy like that,” Gumi scolds Kokone. “He’s having people come and harass you. He’s bad news.”

“I’m not worried,” Kokone smiles and reassures her friends. “I’m just wondering,” she said honestly.

‘Afterall, when he fell, there were no marks on his hands.’

~~~

Several days went by. Everything seemingly went back to normal. 

Seemingly, of course, because Kokone keeps wondering about Len. Her friends don’t notice, but Kokone does. There is something off about him. For a start, Len’s walking is unstable. When Kokone sees him with his friends, she notices that his footing was rather awkward compared to the others. Just yesterday, Kokone caught Len falling to the ground again. Thankfully, he wasn’t hurt like last time, as his friends caught him and asked if he was okay. 

“What a klutz,” Gumi commented as she witness the scene.

“Poor guy,” Miki sarcastically remarked as she watched too.

Then, Kokone sees that Len has difficulties positioning himself and objects. Two days prior, Kokone had arrived to school and went to change her shoes. She caught the sight of Len, closing his locker and grabbing his bag. However, when he went to grab it, it seems he had thought he was close to the handle, so his hand closed to air, right above the handle of his bag. 

Next, Kokone was tasked by her teacher to give her the tests the students took.When Kokone did so, the first test on top was Len’s. As she briefly glances at it, Kokone sees his handwriting. It seemed Len had a hard time writing properly. Kokone didn’t mean to look at his answers, but she saw that half of them appeared to be as if Len struggled to write them properly.

Kokone couldn’t help but think about it. She kept thinking of Len, even when her friends told her to forget about him. This was all the same thing that had happened ten years before. Kokone continues to wonder, but then she would deny it. It couldn’t be. It just can’t be it.

After school, Kokone grab her bag and pulls out her cell phone. Checking, she saw that she has one text message from her sister Lapis.

“Please come see me immediately when you can. I have news regarding your classmate, Kagamine Len.”

Sent at 10:34 

“Kokone-chan,” Miki calls out to her. “Are you ready to go?” she asks.

“I want to try out the new meal the diner has,” Gumi comments.

“I’m sorry,” Kokone apologizes. “But my sister needs me. She says it’s urgent.”

“Oh,” Miki says. “It’s okay.”

“We can hang out another time,” Gumi tells her. “Go to your sister.”

“Thank you,” Kokone told them. “Goodbye!” She bid farewell to her two friends as she left the school. 

It took only twenty minutes for her to reach the hospital where Lapis was at, the same place where Kokone saw Len several days before. Reaching it, Kokone went straight to her sister’s office, next to Dr. Camui’s office. She knocks the door.

“Enter,” a soft voice calls out. Kokone enters and she saw her sister sitting at her desk. “Oh, Kokone, close the door, this is important.” Closing the door behind her, Kokone went to the desk.

“What’s wrong?” Kokone asks as she sat down. “Everything is okay with Kagamine-san, right?”

“Well,” Lapis pauses after speaking, and Kokone saw Lapis biting her lip. “This is important, which is why I called you out here. I want you to listen closely, okay.” Kokone nods.

“Kokone,” Lapis begins to inform her sister. “It seems that Kagamine-san…”

~~~

Miku-nee

It’s really strange, but that boy that has been bothering me, Kagamine-san… 

Well, his movements are strange. Like, extremely weird. His footing is awkward, his handwriting is bad, his grip on items is terrible.

I was a little worried at first, but then I went to talk to Lapis-nee.

Now I’m really worried.

It seems Kagamine Len was chosen by that strange disease. You know, the disease that chose you ten years ago.

What should I do?


	5. Basketball Repetition

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 10 years ago, Kokone noticed her sister's movements in a game  
> Present day, Kokone watches Len in a similar fashion

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Now that hell is cooling down, I should take my time actually posting my chapters on here. I am so sorry for the delay.

The first game was rather intense. Miku kept her eyes on the ball, and when it was thrown to her, she caught it. She ran and dribbled it, and upon coming near the hoop, she jumped and threw the ball. It dipped in, and Miku’s team won another point. 

From the sidelines, her family was watching. Amazingly enough, her parents, Meiko and Kaito, were the most energetic in the family. The two continuously cheered for their eldest daughter as she played with all her strength and energy. It didn’t mean her siblings were any less enthusiastic though. Lapis, Kiyoteru, and Kyo stood and watched with big grins on their faces. 

Little Kokone watched with a serious face.

This wasn’t the first basketball game she has went to. As far as she recalled, she has been seeing her sister play the sport since she was no more than two years of age. Being only a little girl, she seemed to understand how the game works. To win, the ball was to be shot in the basket on the side of the opposing team. It was simple enough.

However, the minute Miku’s footing failed her was when Kokone sensed a difference between this game from all the past games. Miku rarely ever falls, and if she did, Kaito would never panic so loudly. Upon landing on the floor, Kaito screamed his daughter’s name, and Meiko held him back when he tried to run after her.

“She only slipped,” Lapis commented, seeing her father’s worried look. “She’ll be okay.”

“It’s nothing serious, dad,” Kiyoteru tried to reassure Kaito, and it seemed he was right. As soon as she fell, Miku quickly got up and kept playing. 

After several more minutes, the game ended with Miku’s team cheering happily as they embraced each other with warm smiles. Joining in on the cheers, Meiko and Kaito hugged each other warmly. Kyo and Kiyoteru high fived each other, and Lapis smiled warmly. Kokone, however, was trapped in her thoughts and never noticed the game has even ended. Even when Lapis grabbed her hand and began to walk her away from the gym, Kokone didn’t come back to reality. Noticing her little sister’s silence, Lapis called out her name.

Kokone was usually a quiet child, but even this long silence was uncommon.

“Hmm?” Kokone looked up to her sister.

“You didn’t even cheer, Kokone,” Lapis stated.

“Oh,” at last, Kokone realized she was outside. “Did we win?”

“Of course we won,” Lapis answered. “What’s in your head, Kokone?” she asked loudly.

“I was thinking,” Kokone began. “That Papa was really worried when Miku-nee fell.”

At last, Lapis understood. “I see,” she responded. “You’re right,” she added while looking up at the sunny April sky. “But maybe it’s not a big deal,” she muttered.

As a little girl, Kokone almost believed her sister Lapis’s words, but she couldn’t forget that Miku once fell on her face just two weeks before.

~~~

“Why are we here?” Gumi begins her daily complaining. Kokone and Miki mentally prepare for this, knowing Gumi always finds something to complain about. “It’s Sunday! You said we were going to go shopping!” She screeches, pointing her finger at Miki, who was filling a tank up with water. The three are outside the gym where the water hose is at, and next to them were empty tanks.

“I’m sorry,” Miki apologizes. “After I do this, we will go out. I promise.”

“Why are we doing this?” Gumi sighs and asks.

“Because my environment and animal care clubs asked me to refill the tanks today for the turtles,” Miki answers. 

As her two friends bicker endlessly, Kokone stares at her phone. Her brothers had left messages to her, asking if she is eating properly, taking care of their parents, if she likes school so far, if her grades are good so far, etc. Kokone sighs, but she couldn’t help but smile. Of course, Kiyoteru and Kyo would do such a thing, as the two, along with Lapis, had always look after their little sister. Now, Kokone is the only one living with her parents, fifteen years old and in her freshmen year of high school. Meanwhile, Kyo is in college and living in an apartment near the school he is attending, Kiyoteru is recently hired at a teacher in an elementary school thirty minutes away from her home, and Lapis, who has graduated early, works under Gakupo in the hospital.

As Kokone answers the messages her brothers have sent her, she hears cheers coming from inside the gym. Becoming curious, she abandons her friends and takes steps closer to the building, turning to her right and coming closer to the entrance. Stepping inside the gym, Kokone stares at the game occurring. As quickly as she saw it, she begins to recall her deceased sister playing the same game when Kokone was just a little girl. 

As soon as she remembers her sister, Kokone feels a wave of sorrow crush her, and she can’t deny it. She misses her. She wants her back, but sadly, no matter what she did, Kokone couldn’t see her anymore.

‘That’s why I still have her diary, right?’

With a sigh, Kokone turns, preparing to leave, only to hear a familiar name call out.

“Go, Len-kun! You can do it!”

Suddenly, Kokone turns around, and she saw familiar blonde hair running through the players with a ball in his hand. ‘Amazing,’ Kokone wonders. ‘He’s running around normally. That’s good,’ she silently tells herself, remembering what Lapis has told her.

‘Why? Why did it happen?’

When her friends got caught up in their conversations to each other, Kokone always steals a glance to Len during class. How is he feeling? Is he okay? Kokone always wonders. He doesn’t know what is going on with him.

But she does.

Lapis and Gakupo are aware too.

And according to Lapis, so does Len’s mother. Kokone found out from her sister that Len’s family is only his mother and his twin sister. Kokone didn’t know Len has a sister, let alone a twin. She wouldn’t be surprised if she actually attends the same school.

As she is in thought, Kokone keeps watching the game. Len’s skills reminds Kokone way too much of Miku. He is very good at the game, exactly like how Miku was ten years ago. If only the similarities had ended there. Both have long hair by their gender standards. Both have blues eyes. Both are pretty popular among their classmates.

Kokone sighs. ‘Let’s think of the differences between them.’ With that thought, Kokone begins to contrast Len from her sister.

Firstly, Len is a boy, and Miku was female.

Len is pretty tall while Miku was petite.

Len is a blonde. Miku has teal hair.

Miku was nice to everyone she met. Len, on the other hand, is pretty spiteful towards those he dislikes, as evident from his behavior towards Kokone.

Suddenly, Kokone is taken from her thoughts as she watches Len collide with the floor. That moment, she hears a feminine cry. Turning her head, she sees a woman with long blonde hair, extending her hand to the direction Len is at. Behind her, a girl with a bow in her hair, the same color has her mother, is holding her back.

“It’s okay, mom,” Kokone hears the girl her age tell her mother. “He only fell.”

“But still,” the woman turns to her daughter, then back to her son. Turning her gaze back to Len, Kokone watches him get up, and he resumes his gameplay, acting as if nothing ever happened. Kokone returns her gaze to the woman and her daughter.

‘That must be Len’s family,’ she realizes. She stares at the girl with the bow, realizing she has seen her before. She saw her bow in the hallways, and she has seen her walking into their classroom during breaks just to talk to Len. She never stays long, Kokone had noticed the past month. The girl, Len’s sister, never seems to want to talk to his friends. Not Piko. Not Lui. Not even Galaco, or Galaco’s friends, Rion, Nana, or the twins Anon and Kanon. 

Returning her attention to the game, Kokone watches Len and her school basketball team compete against their rivals. The game is intense, Kokone notices, as all the players put their entire focus on the ball and trying to score with it. As the time is running out, with only fifteen seconds left, a boy in the home team has the ball and calls out Len’s name, throwing it at him. Kokone keeps her eyes on Len, watches his movements, noticing that, for a moment, they freeze in place. The ball shoots pass Len’s face, and a teammate catches it.

“Kagamine-kun!” The player cries out, and as if the slowed movements never happened, Len turns around and catches the ball once the player throws it at him. Dribbling it, Len runs towards the basket and jumps, throwing the ball to it. The timer rings as the ball enters the hoop. The final score shows the home team ahead of the opposing team by two points. The players of the winning team cheer and gather around, spreading happy compliments from each other. Len’s sister and her mother join in on the cheers and applaud loudly. Len stands there, wondering what has happened. Why did he stop moving? Looking to the side, he saw his mother and sister, both smiling happily. Turning his head more to the right, he saw Kokone, who stare into his gaze with a worried look. With a sneer, Len turns and embraces his teammates, a smile forming on his face.

“Kokone!”

She hears her name come out of the mouths of her two friends outside. Turning around, she leaves the building.

“I’m coming!” Kokone cries out, and she runs to where Miki and Gumi are at.

~~~

Miku-nee, how are you?

I can’t help it. Even when Len has been nothing but mean to be, I worry about him. His movements are slowing down. I saw it as he played his game. He even fell, the same way you fell in that one basketball game ten years ago. Do you remember? You suddenly fell, and dad panicked and mom had to restrain him from running up to you.

The same exact thing happened, but with Len’s mother, and his sister held her back. 

I don’t care what anyone says. Even if Len won’t be nice to me, I want to help him. I probably shouldn’t ask this of you as I couldn’t help you when you were ill, but can you please help me?


	6. Vibrant Companion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ten years ago, Kokone cheered her sister up by drawing a picture for her  
> Present day, Kokone finds a new friend, someone related to Len

The colors on the paper were vibrant to any eye who glanced at it. Meiko had finished arranging the plants in her living room when she took a stroll by the table where her youngest daughter was sitting at. Taking on look at Kokone’s drawing, Meiko stopped and took a closer look.

“That’s a lovely drawing, Kokone,” Meiko’s voice ringed in Kokone’s ears, but the child didn’t take her eyes off her drawing. “I see you’re drawing your sister. How nice~” 

Finally, Kokone put down her crayon and looked up at her mother. “It’s for Miku-nee,” she informed her with her soft voice. “Because she hurt herself today.”

“I see,” Meiko smiled. “She would be so happy to have such a beautiful drawing from her caring little sister.” Petting the little girl’s hair, Meiko stepped away and left the living room. Kokone grabbed a different color and resumed her coloring. Originally, Kokone was to go play with Kyo and his friends when they all came home from school. 

Unexpectedly, those plans were cancelled, because Miku had an accident during school. When Meiko picked up Kokone from kindergarten, the latter was pleasantly surprised to see her eldest sister in the car with their mother.

“I thought you’ll be in school still,” Kokone said in shock upon seeing her sister as Meiko buckled in her daughter. 

“I kinda fell today,” Miku sighed with a gleeful smile. “I ended up spraining my ankle, so mother picked me up and took me to the hospital, even though it wasn’t broken.”

“I needed to make sure it was just a sprain,” Meiko sighed and closed the door. She opened the driver’s door, and took her seat, closing the door next to her. “It would be bad if my daughter had a broken bone and had to walk around in a cast. Your school doesn’t have an elevator, you know.”

“I know,” Miku responded.

They all came home, and Kokone earned the idea of making a drawing to please her sister, to get her mind off of her injury. When Kyo came home with Wil and Yu, she told them what has happened to Miku and what she wanted to do. With a smile, the three boys told her to make Miku happy, and the three left. Just this once, Kaito can be happy that Kokone didn’t play with the boys. While Meiko didn’t care, Kaito would always complain about Kokone not playing with girls her age. 

“Those boys are corrupting her,” Kokone could remember her father’s complaining when it came to her wanting to play with them. “My dear daughter should grow up to be a good girl like her two sisters, not a foolish dunce like her brother and his friends.”

Then, Kaito would complain about how Kyo is nothing like Kiyoteru. Kyo was bold and adventurous, always playing ball with the boys in his school, and wanting to wrestle with them. Kiyoteru, when he was as young was Kyo, would have spent his time reading, studying, or helping Meiko around the house. For as long as Kokone remembered, her brother Kiyoteru was always a good boy in the eyes of the adults.

At last, her drawing was finished. With a satisfied smile, Kokone hopped off the chair with the drawing in her hand, and she raced upstairs to her two sisters’ shared bedroom. The door was opened slightly, and she poked her head in. She saw Miku, sitting on her desk, writing.

“Miku-nee!” Kokone called out, and Miku turned her head and smiled at her little sister.

“Hello, Kokone,” she greeted her and allowed her in her bedroom she shared with Lapis. Kokone walked towards her, and when she was in front of her, she held up her completed picture.

“I drew this for you, Miku-nee,” Kokone announced happily. Miku gaped at the drawing for a few seconds. Then she gave one her warmest smiles.

“That is a beautiful drawing, and it’s for me?” Miku asked. Kokone nodded. “Thank you so much!” She thanked her, taking the picture in her hands, only to place it on her desk. The next thing Kokone knew, Miku’s arms were around her. 

“You’re a wonderful little sister,” Kokone heard Miku whisper in her ears.

~~~

Both Miki and Gumi caught the spring fever. Kokone sighs, seeing the messages they left her, saying they were too ill to get out of bed, let alone going to school. It wasn’t like Kokone cares much. Something like this is kind of expected. Kokone saw how much they sneezed ever since May began. 

Spring continues on its merry way. Flower are in full bloom, and the weather was gradually becoming warmer. The sun rises, and its rays brighten up the trees. The streets are fuller with people. At this time, more students are outside longer, only coming home when the sun is no longer out. It rarely rains anymore. The roads and sidewalks are dry, only becoming dirtied by cars and feet. 

School, however, is still the same for Kokone. There is more teasing and name calling from people Kokone didn’t particularly care about, sans Len. Thankfully, today, no one said anything to her. Of course, Kokone wouldn’t notice, because none of it matters anyways, for as long as it didn’t become too physical. 

During the lunch period, Kokone decides to go outside for a change, as the weather is perfect. It’s not too hot, and the breeze is wonderful. Grabbing her sister’s diary, Kokone steps out of her classroom before anyone could say anything to her. Walking down to the first floor, passing by the students who love to gossip endlessly, Kokone steps outside, and she finds a tree. Seeing it as the perfect place for protection from the rays of the bright sun, Kokone sits down next to the tree, and she reads the book she treasures dearly.

May 16, 1995

I fell down the stairs during school today. I wasn’t hurt too bad, but I sprained my ankle. It really hurt… My mother picked me up, but I guess she was really worried, because she took me to the hospital to get me examined. 

Dr. Camui says I’m fine, but he wants me to write about this anyway. I must write about how I feel, if my foot gets better, and he also adds that I write about how I walk. I wonder what is going on with me.

Anyways, my little sister Kokone came to visit me.

Kokone smiles as she recalls that day where she gave her sister that drawing ten years ago.

Kokone is so nice. She is always worried about me, even at her young age. I’m so grate-

“Excuse me, Hatsune-san?”

Hearing someone call out her name, Kokone pauses in her reading and looks up from her book. Her pink eyes made contact with blue orbs that belongs to a girl Kokone immediately recognizes from the basketball game.

“Kagamine Len’s sister?” Kokone asks, making sure she got her right.

“I see you know who I am,” Len’s sister responds and a small smile forms on her face. “I’m Kagamine Rin, and I know who you are. My brother talked about you on the first day of school. What a wonderful thing you did to him,” she laughs.

“I know,” Kokone sighs. “I don’t know what else I can do. Your brother just can’t let go of a grudge, can he?”

“Sadly, no,” Rin answers. “I mean, he still hates our dad for leaving us for another woman.” Seeing Kokone’s shocked face, Rin realizes she said too much. “Nevermind. Can I sit with you?”

“Sure,” Kokone nods, and Rin takes a seat next to her. “What made you want to talk to me now?” Kokone asks with curiosity laced in her voice. She can’t help but wonder. What made Rin come up to her and talk to her now.

“Because you’re the little sister of Miku, right?” Rin answers, and Kokone’s eyes widen. 

“How did you know about that?” Kokone asks. 

Rin sighs. “I bought her autobiography on Sunday, and I’ve been reading it,” she reveals. “And she mentions that you are her youngest sibling.”

“I see.” Kokone looks at Rin. “But no one here reads a book like that. I mean, they probably did two years ago when it was published, but no one talks about it anymore.”

“Well,” Rin takes a deep breath and begins to explains. “My brother has the disease your sister has.”

“I know,” Kokone nonchalantly says, and then her eyes widen, realizing what had come out of her mouth.

“How did you know?” Rin gasps in shock.

“Well, my sister, my other sister Lapis,” Kokone begins to explain. “She’s Len’s doctor along with Dr. Camui.”

“Oh, I see,” Rin simply says, and she continues. “Well, Len has that disease, and I found out last week when I heard my mother in a phone call with a doctor about spino… spin… spinal… that disease, I think you know,” Rin says, trying to recite the disease her brother has.

“Spinocerebellar degeneration,” Kokone helps her.

“Thank you,” Rin responds. “Well, I looked it up, and I went back to the hospital and met Dr. Camui. I told him I was really worried about Len, and I didn’t know what to do, so he told me about a patient he had in the past who had the same disease, and she wrote her experiences in a book called ‘One Liter of Tears.’”

“I see,” Kokone understand what Rin is saying. “Dr. Camui recommended my sister’s book to you.”

“Yeah,” Rin nods. “So I bought the book, and I started reading it. It’s so interesting, to read and experience it all through the words of a victim. I haven’t been very far in the book, but I read online that…” Rin sighs a deep breath before continuing. “There’s no cure for this disease.” Kokone examines Rin’s face, and she saw a solemn look in her eyes. “It’s a joke, right?” Rin asks. “There has to be a cure.”

“I know that feeling,” Kokone whispers, loud enough for Rin to hear. “Every day, growing up, I begged for god to find a cure for Miku-nee,” Kokone slowly reveals her past worries, something she never told anyone, not even her two friends. “Then, Christmas came, and I lost my most precious treasure that night.”

Listening to her words, Rin realizes that Kokone has already went through the pain of the disease. Kokone has grown up, watching Miku suffer until finally, the disease took her. “I’m so sorry,” Rin apologizes softly.

“It’s fine,” Kokone answers. Suddenly, the bell rings, signalling that lunch is over. “Time to go back, I guess,” Kokone sighs and she stands up. Rin stands up too. 

“I guess I’ll see you later?” Rin asks, wondering if she could see her again.

“Please don’t see me,” Kokone suggests to her, not in a cold tone, but more out of concern.

“Eh? Why?” Rin wonders.

“What would people say if they saw you with me?” Kokone asks. “No one will like the sight of the cool boy’s twin sister hanging out with the girl who accidentally embarrassed herself in front of him.”

“It doesn’t matter,” Rin smiles. “I don’t care what anyone says.”

“Really?” Kokone’s eyes widen. “Me too,” she adds, looking down.

“I know you don’t care what others say,” Rin tells her. “I have been watching you since the first day of school.” Seeing Kokone’s shocked and confused look, Rin continues. “Ever since the people said something about a girl spilling lunch on my brother, I was curious, so I took a glance at you, and I saw how people treated you. In middle school, when people were picked on, they cry or run away. Strangely, you do neither. When people pick on you, you just stay where you are at. You read as if you never heard them.”

“I’m impressed,” Kokone says honestly, quickly accepting that she likes her newfound stalker. “I can’t believe you got that much detail on me just by watching me. Anything else you know about me?”

“Well, this is more from the book I’m reading,” Rin begins. “You like to draw?”

“Yes, I like drawing.”

“You enjoy the company of your brother and his friends.”

“Yes I do. I miss them now that they are away in college.”

“You want to be like Miku.”

Kokone’s eyes widen. Before she could say anything, a teacher calls out to the two girls.

“The bell already rang! Hurry up, or you’ll be late to class!”

“Coming!” Rin cries out. “Let’s go inside now,” she says, grabbing Kokone’s free hand, and she runs, taking Kokone with her. As they race back to class, Kokone recalls Rin’s words.

“You want to be like Miku.”

Of course, Kokone did want to be like Miku, but she’s nowhere like her now. In her own eyes, Kokone is nothing like her sister.

She’s not athletic.

She’s not graceful.

She’s not even likeable. 

~~~

Miku-nee

Today, I met Len’s sister, Rin. She’s really nice, I can tell. She even bought your book to help her cope with Len’s disease. I was right. Do you remember? I told you once that your book has helped so many people. 

But did you really wrote that I wanted to be like you when I grow up?

How could you have known? Did I tell you when I was little?

Well, it’s true that I do want to be like you, but that will never happen, because I am nothing like you.


	7. Pleasant Surprise

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ten years ago, Miku's accident led to new friendships  
> Present day, Kokone and Rin visit the kind friendships

If only she didn’t have an injured ankle, Miku would be able to practice. Until it was cured, Miku had been only watching her teammates practice and had went to their games to cheer them on. By early June, she became tired of watching them, feeling less motivated thanks to her injury, and she decided to simply go home after school one day.

She noticed her walking pace was slower than usual. If anything, it felt as if she had to put more force into walking. She didn’t understand why. Before, she would walk at a quick pace with no problems. All of a sudden, walking was beginning to become a chore. Slowly, her pace became slower.

On the day she decided to simply go home, she chose to take the public bus and have it drop her off at her home. Normally, she’d just walk straight home, but seeing that walking was making her tired, she’d rather take a ride instead. As she walked down the street, she saw the bus already at its stop. Wanting to catch it, Miku picked up her pace and decided to jog there, even if it cost her more energy. 

She didn’t make it very far, as her footing failed her, exactly like it did that one April day. Just like that day, her arms did not break her fall. 

“Are you okay!?”

As Miku winced in pain, a mature, feminine voice called out to her, and Miku heard footprints run towards her.

“Mama! Mama! Come out!” She then heard a child’s voice cry out for the attention of her mother. “A girl fell right outside!”

Afterwards, Miku felt an arm on her body, and Miku was helped up. Then Miku opened her eyes as another figure came to her.

“Oh my!” This woman spoke as she saw Miku, and she ran to the side of Miku that wasn’t held. With her arms around two people, Miku was helped inside a building, walking past a young girl with princess pink hair in low pigtails. 

“Mama, she’s bleeding!” The little girl cried out.

“I know,” her mother, one of the two helping Miku inside a shop, spoke to her daughter. “I’ll tend to her wounds. Now, go help mama and get the first aid kit.” Nodding, the child ran into the back of the shop. Walking past the aisles, the woman, presumably the owner, left Miku with the other person who the former still didn’t glance at, and she returned with a chair. “Please sit,” she commanded. “I’ll take care of your injury.” 

Miku was helped into a chair, and finally, she saw them. A girl in the same school as Miku, wearing the school uniform, but with a different color ribbon, a yellow one, indicating she is a junior, and her violet hair was tied into low pigtails, the same style the child’s hair was worn in. She walked away as the owner returned with a kit. With a slender body, a nice buxom, and long pink hair that fell to her waist, she took out napkins and alcohol, and she began to clean the blood off Miku’s face.

“You’ll be better in no time, dear,” the woman soothed Miku, and as she cleaned her chin with one hand, she used her other hand to wipe the dry tears away from Miku’s eye. 

“I have your school bag,” the upperclassman returned, holding two bags, one belonging to Miku and one that is her own. “But you shouldn’t run when your ankle hurts, but I understand. You were trying to catch the bus, right?”

“I was,” Miku finally spoke, barely in a whisper.

“Also, you seem to be unable to walk properly,” the girl spoke again.

“You can’t walk properly?” The woman gasped. “How about you wait here until your parent or guardian picks you up?”

“I couldn’t do that,” Miku stuttered, blushing a little at the woman’s sudden generosity.

“But I insist,” she spoke next. “I wouldn’t want you to get hurt again. I don’t even want you to leave now. I rather call your mother right now and tell her to pick you up.”

“You don’t have to,” Miku tried to reassure the woman that she’s alright.

“It’s fine,” the woman told Miku pleasantly. “You can sit here, I can make her some nice cupcakes, and my daughter can keep you company when she comes back from school.” For a few seconds, Miku stared at the woman in awe, and then she regained her composure.

“Thank you,” she smiled.

~~~

As the day ends, Kokone walks out of her classroom, following Miki and Gumi as they discuss their plans for the day. At last, the weekend arrives. The trio walks down the hallways in a cheerful mood when Kokone feels a hand grab her arm. Turning around, she met the sweet blue eyes she met last week.

“Can I hang out with you, Kokone-chan?” Rin asks, holding her grip on Kokone’s arm. Eyes widening in surprise, Kokone turns to her friends, only to see they didn’t notice Kokone is no longer behind them.

“Sure,” Kokone answers, knowing her friends will text her, asking where she has gone. “Will you be okay, Kagamine-san?” she asks.

“Call me Rin,” the blonde girl tells her. “And I’m fine. I don’t care if people tell my brother that I’m with you.”

“That’s good,” Kokone releases a small smile, feeling happy to make a new friend. Even more, she became friends with a girl who is suffering the same fate she once suffered.

“Come with me,” Rin orders, pulling Kokone with her. “I need to get my stuff.” The two walk down the hallways as they reach Rin’s classroom. As they go by, Kokone noticed a few students staring at the two.

“Isn’t that Hatsune-san with Kagamine Len’s sister?”  
“What are they doing together?”

Entering the classroom, Rin finally releases her grip on Kokone’s arm, and she reaches her desk near the center of the classroom. As Rin gathers all her belongings, Kokone takes out her phone and sees a text message from Gumi.

‘Are you coming?’  
\- Gumi

Kokone’s fingers press the buttons, giving a clear answer.

‘I’m sorry. Something sudden came up. I’ll hang out with you and Miki next week.’

She puts her phone back in her bag when Rin closes her bag. Ready to go, Rin walks to Kokone.

“Let’s go!” Rin cheers, and she leads the way, with Kokone following her. They only took two steps out of the classroom when a familiar face stands in front of them.

“Rin, what are you doing?” He asks coldly, and then he saw Kokone behind his sister. “They weren’t joking. You really are with her,” he comments in a tone laced in a bitter flavor. “You know what she did to me on the first day of school.”

“And you know it was an accident,” Rin speaks back to her brother. “If you can’t let go of the small things like that, you’ll never be able to accept what’s coming for you,” she retorts, and Kokone realizes how much truth is in Rin’s words. As long as Len can’t let go of the past like this, how can he accept his disease? “Move,” Rin commands, and grabbing Kokone’s arm again, she broke through the crowd of Len’s friends. As Kokone walks past him, their eyes meet. Cold bitter blue orbs stares daggers at sweet pink ones. Piko and Lui stares at the two girls in shock. Galaco and her friends are left in awe.

“Poor Len!” Galaco screeches. “To have such a terrible sister like her, hanging out with that troubled girl!” 

~~~

“I’m sorry about him.”

Rin apologizes as the two take a seat on the ground next to the tree, the same place they had first met the previous week.

“It’s fine,” Kokone tells her. “But you’re right. He’s really taking things too far.”

“Exactly!” Rin exclaims. “And he thinks it’s okay to do these kind of things just because he’s popular! But…” Rin pauses, beginning to get stuck in her thoughts. “Would he really stay that way?”

With a sigh. Kokone answers. “I doubt it.”

“I mean, won’t anyone be understanding of the situation?” Rin asks.

Kokone shrugs. “No one was understanding of my sister’s situation.”

Suddenly, Rin remembers what she read in the book. “There was Megurine Luka and Yuzuki Yukari.”

Hearing the names, Kokone begins to remember them. Ten years ago, Miku would wait for her mother to pick her up while she was in the shop owned by Luka. Yukari, who attended the same school, kept Miku company. 

“We should go see them,” Kokone suggests an idea. Rin turns to her in surprise.

“Can we? I’d love to meet them! They sound like really nice people!” Rin exclaims, wanting to meet the people who helped Miku during the tough times of her life.

“I hope I remember where the shop is at,” Kokone comments as she stands up. Up on her two feet, Kokone looks at the school and spots a student walking by. Shoulder length pink hair that curls at the end, tied by a hair clip, and the school uniform complimenting her figure, she walks by with grace. As she stares, Kokone’s eyes widen in recognition.

“Megurine Mizki!”

Kokone cries out the name of her childhood friend. The girl stops walking and turns her head to the source of the voice. Spotting Kokone, she stares, her eyes recognizing the brown haired girl.

“Hatsune Kokone?”

~~~

“I see,” Mizki says as she takes Kokone and Rin to the shop where her mother works at. “Rin’s brother as the same illness.”

“That’s why I’ve been reading about Miku,” Rin explains. “My mother still doesn’t want to tell Len, even though the doctors are urging her to do so.”

“It’s a tough situation,” Mizki murmurs. “It’s been so long since I last saw you, Kokone. My mother and Yukari will be pleased to see you. They’ve been wondering how you have been since your sister’s passing.”

“I’m sorry for not visiting the past few years,” Kokone apologizes. “Ever since my sister became bedridden, my only focus was to see her every day and take care of her.”

“I understand,” Mizki turns and smiles at her. “Here it is,” she gestures to the shop in front of them. Entering the building, Kokone and Rin saw the shelfs occupied by mugs, cups, and plates. 

“They are all so pretty,” Rin admires the items as she walks by. 

“This place hasn’t changed since I last came here,” Kokone comments. 

“Mom!” Mizki yells. “Guess who is here!” The three reach the register where a woman with long hair stands. Looking up, the woman stares in awe when her eyes fall on Kokone.

“Kokone, is that you?” she asks in surprise. “My gosh, you have grown up so much!” She exclaims, leaving the register to trap Kokone in her embrace. “How old are you now? Fifteen? Sixteen? And I see you’re in highschool now, wearing the same uniform as Mizki! When I last saw you, you were still a young child!” Finally releasing Kokone, Luka examines her further. “You grew up to be beautiful like your sister,” she whispers, and Kokone couldn’t help but blush slightly. 

“Ms. Megurine, are you okay?” A voice cries from the kitchen behind Luka. Another woman steps out, and seeing Kokone, she gasps. “Is that Miku’s little sister? The little girl who would come here with her mother and play with Mizki as children?” 

“Yes, it’s little Kokone, Yukari!” Luka answers with a warm hearted smile. 

“Mom, you’re being embarrassing,” Mizki sighs, though her smile never left her face. “You’re behaving like this in front of Kokone’s friend.”

“It’s okay,” Rin whispers.

“Oh, I’m sorry,” Luka begins to apologize and faces Rin. “I’m Megurine Luka, the owner of the store.” She turns and points at her employee. “That’s Yukari. She’s been working for me for years.”

“I’m Kagamine Rin,” she introduces herself. “I’m a friend of Kokone’s, and I’ve been reading about Hatsune Miku. My brother has the same disease.”

“Is that so?” Luka’s eyes widen. “I’m so sorry to hear that. Please have a seat,” Luka tells Rin, taking her to the back of the room, seating her to a family table. Kokone and Mizki follows. “I’ll make some tea for her. Yukari, please take care of the register,” Luka commands as she goes into the kitchen. 

“Your mother is really as nice as Miku describes her to be,” Rin whispers to Mizki when they took their seats at the table.

“I know she is,” Mizki smiles. Luka returns with tea for the girls. They drink the delicious joy made by Luka as she sits down.

“How is your brother right now?” She asks. “Did the illness just started.”

Rin nods. “He is starting to trip on his own feet. I saw him fall during his basketball games.”

“I see,” Luka sighs.

Rin puts her cup down. “You were really nice to Miku during this stage, and I’m sure Kokone is grateful to you guys for it, but,” Rin pauses before she continues. “Could you help me out too? This is really hard, and it’s going to get worse. I don’t want to see my brother get worse, especially knowing there’s no…”

Tears are begging to slip out of her eyes, but Rin holds back. Luka understands immediately what Rin is saying.

“You are more than welcome to come here anytime.”

Rin gives a meek smile, and Kokone puts her arm around her.

“It will be okay,” she whispers. “I’m here for you.”

~~~

Miku-nee

I visited Luka, Yukari, and Mizki today with Rin. I also met Luka’s other daughter when she came home. I don’t know if you met her because she was born several years after your last visit to the shop. 

Rin and I had fun, talking to them, not only about you and Len, but about life in general. Even so, Rin is still left carrying heavy weight, but it seems a bit of it was removed when she met Luka. 

Luka is very understanding and thoughtful. She owns a shop and takes care of everything, including her two daughters, as her husband is working abroad. She hasn’t changed at all the past ten years. 

I should visit her as much as I can.


	8. Summer Distress

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ten years ago, it may have been the last time the siblings can spend time together normally  
> Present day, Kokone is torn on what to do with Len.

“Mama, it hurts!” Kokone cried while Meiko pulled her hair back.

“I’m sorry, but I want your hair to look nice,” Meiko apologized and explained her actions. “It’s the summer festival, after all. You can’t look like a slob tonight.”

“Why can’t I leave my hair down?” Kokone whined.

“Kokone, do you see your two big sisters?” Meiko asked, pointing to the two teenagers who were helping each other with their yukatas in front of a mirror. “They have their hair in a summer bun.”

“It’s annoying,” Kokone growled.

“I see Kokone is being grouchy,” Lapis chanted, coming towards her mother and little sister while Miku continued to fix herself.

“I don’t understand,” Meiko began to complain loudly to her second daughter, despite Kokone being in front of her. “When you and Miku were little girls, you never cried when I put your hair up. You two always love having your hair in pigtails, ponytails, and even buns. Even now, you two still have your hair in pigtails. Kokone, on the other hand, hates it when I put her hair up.” As she ranted, Meiko finally finished with Kokone’s hair.

“Wow, you look so lovely, Kokone,” Lapis began to compliment her little sister. “You look just like your two older sisters.”

“I do?” Kokone asked, looking up to her sister, dressed in a light blue kimono.

“Of course you do!” Lapis cheered. “Miku-nee!” She called for her older sister, grabbing Kokone’s hand and taking her to Miku. “Don’t you think Kokone looks cute.”

Miku turned and gazed at her sisters with a smile. “Of course Kokone looks cute!” She smiled. “Pink is a good color on Kokone,” she complimented, admiring Kokone’s small, pink yukata. 

“Miku-nee’s green yukata looks good too!” Kokone cried out. 

“Girls!” Meiko called out. “Luka is here with Mizki! Go have fun!”

“Okay!” The three girls walked out the door, meeting with Luka and her young daughter, Mizki. Kokone embraced Mizki with a hug, and as the five walked out to the streets to celebrate the festival, Kokone and Mizki chattered endlessly. 

“I’m so happy it’s summer break,” Mizki commented. “School is annoying. Kokone, you don’t want to go to grade school.”

“I don’t?” Kokone wondered.

“You really don’t!” Mizki cried out. 

As the two little girls converse, followed by Luka, Lapis remained by Miku’s side.

“Onee-chan, are you feeling alright?” Lapis asked with concern.

“I’m okay,” Miku smiled. 

“Are you walking fine?” Lapis questioned. “Does it hurt?”

Miku shook her head. “The braces Dr. Camui gave me is helping me walk better.”

“I see,” Lapis whispered with a small smile. “As long as you’re fine, I shouldn’t worry.”

“Everything will be fine,” Miku told her sister. “Let’s enjoy our day, Lapis.”

~~~

“It’s so hot,” Kokone mutters under her breath as her teacher finishes his lecture. Kokone is loathing summer, as it had arrived with unbearable heat weeks ago. When the bell rings, the students stand up and did their things, getting together and chatting endlessly. Some went out to play.

All Kokone wants to do is rest her head on her desk and crumble into pieces. 

“Kokone~” Gumi pokes her friend.

“We should leave her,” Miki suggests.

“No!” Gumi defies her. “We haven’t been together long enough! I refuse to believe Kokone abandoned us for that girl!”

“I don’t think it’s like that,” Miki attempts to calm her friend down. “Maybe Kokone is actually plotting to get revenge on Kagamine-kun, so he’s befriending his sister to get back at him.”

“Oh~ Miki, that’s a great idea!” Kokone feels a harsh pat on her back. “You go get him, Kokone! We knew you wouldn’t abandoned us!” Kokone hears her two friends walk away. She lifts her head up, turns to see Miki and Gumi exit the room, and sticks her tongue out at them.

“Why can’t they understand?”

Although, Kokone thinks it might be her fault. She never told Gumi and Miki what she’s been doing. All she ever tells them is “I have to meet with someone” or “something urgent came up.” She didn’t know how to tell them she is now friends with Rin since Gumi and Miki strongly dislike Len. Instead, she left them to hang out with Rin.

Furthermore, she isn’t even talking to Rin just about Len’s disease. Kokone and Rin both found interest in each other and became closer in the past month. They talk about many things: family life, school, their classmates, the food they like, the clothes they wear on the weekends. Kokone has informed Rin of her other siblings besides Miku, telling her how Lapis graduated college early and became a doctor, how Kiyoteru became an elementary school teacher, and how Kyo is studying hard in college. Rin told Kokone of her childhood, how her father cheated on her mother and left, never to return, and how Rin’s relationship with Len became slightly hostile due to different personalities.

Through Rin, Kokone learns so much about Len. He’s unable to let go of a grudge thanks to his father. Kokone also learns of Len’s strong fondness for bananas, and how he actually cares for his appearance. 

Sitting on her desk, Kokone sighs. She knows she needs to talk to Miki and Gumi about Rin. She knows she needs to tell the truth eventually.

“Girls!” Kokone hears the voice of a familiar girl she doesn’t particularly like. “Len asked me to go to the summer festival with him!” 

“Wow!” Kokone hears Rion’s voice. “That’s amazing, Galaco!”

“Wonderful!” Kanon speaks next. “You finally get to go out with him!”

“But you’re still going with us too, or would you rather we weren’t there?~” Nana teasingly asks.

“It’s nothing!” Galaco claims. “But it’s so nice to go to such a night with a wonderful guy like him.” Galaco boasts, churning Kokone’s stomach into knots. 

‘I don’t want to hear this!’

Standing up abruptly, Kokone took casual steps away from her desk and out of her classroom, uncaring that the girls’ attention fell onto her.

“I wonder what her problem is.”

Ignoring their words, Kokone runs, passing by her classmates who stare at her in wonder. She ignores the summer heat as it makes her forehead drip in sweat. Perhaps she should have worn her hair up, but she never likes having her hair in any style. She always has her brown hair loose and free. Although Kokone’s problem isn’t the heat.

Her stomach has been in knots after hearing Galaco’s voice.

Why does it bother her so much that Len asked her to go to the festival with him?

Reaching the outdoors, Kokone pauses to take a breath. It’s too hot to be running like this. Leaning on the wall for support, Kokone took in deep breaths. She found herself wondering.

Why does it bother her so much?

Unexpectedly, a hand pulls Kokone away from the wall, roughly grabbing her arm. Before she can react, another hand grabs ahold of her other arm. Turning her head both left and right, Kokone saw white and blonde.

“What are you doing!?” Kokone shrieks. At last, she realizes, no one else is around except them and the person behind. As the two boys roughly turn her around, Kokone’s eyes caught him.

“You seem to be enjoying yourself,” Len sneers at her as his friends, Piko and Lui, hold Kokone’s arms tightly. Kokone winces, knowing she’ll have small bruises on her skin. “You deceived my sister, didn’t you?”

“What are you talking about?” Kokone asks. Of course, she knows Len isn’t happy that she became friends with Rin, but she would rather play innocent.

“You’re trying to destroy me!” Len begins to throw his accusations at her. “You plan to use my sister to get back at me.”

“I didn’t do anything to you,” Kokone calmly tells him.

“You wrecked my uniform on the first day of school!” Len reminds her.

“It was an accident!” Kokone raises her voice, for once losing control of her stoic nature. “If you can’t let go of the small things, you’ll find your life to be meaningless!” Then Kokone couldn’t stop herself.

“Your life is already coming to an end!”

Kokone saw it briefly. She saw her sister, lying in bed, sleeping, unable to walk, talk, or even write. She is bedridden. She couldn’t control her body anymore. 

And Miku’s face was replaced with Len.

“What is she talking about?” Lui wonders loudly.

“Is she trying to say she’ll have Len dead?” Piko questions.

“I think she is,” Lui agrees.

Kokone never changed her sight. She keeps staring at Len’s facial expressions. First, it’s shock. Then it’s anger.

“How dare you?” Len whispers maliciously, and he begins to run towards Kokone. His arms pulls back as his fingers hold down. Knowing she’ll be in a lot of pain in seconds, Kokone closes her eyes.

Instead of intense pain in her gut, Kokone feels a crash impact her body. The hands that held her release suddenly, leaving Kokone to collapse. As it happens quickly, she couldn’t save herself. Her head hits the cement, and her body was crushed with his weight. When she finally came to, Kokone feels warmth on her chest. Lifting her head and ignoring the pain, she saw messy blonde hair on top of her uniform.

Two seconds later, when Lui and Piko came to, they pull Len off of Kokone. She lays there, even after the three boys leave. They must have said something, maybe Len hurt himself, and they decided to take him to the nurse. They completely disregarded Kokone. She’ll never know because she didn’t hear them and instead, closed her eyes.

~~~

“Kokone usually is quiet, but she’s never this silent for so long,” Gumi murmurs, even though her friend can hear her from behind.

“I know,” Miki comments. “Must be from that day last week,” she concludes. “She must have hit her head hard.”

“Yeah,” Gumi sighs. “And she won’t say anything about it,” she wails as she puts her arm around Kokone. “Is it Len? Did he do something awful? How about Rin? Was she tricking you under Len’s orders?” Gumi begins her questions.

After that day, Kokone never said anything. She never even mentioned this to Rin. When the two hang out, Kokone kept quiet about that encounter, and it seems Len never told Rin for the girl never said anything about it. However, she did learn her brother’s ankle was slightly injured from running and had mentioned it to Kokone.

The night of the summer festival shines brightly as everyone walks down the streets. Having promised her two friends, Kokone walks with Miki and Gumi. Usually, she would have worn a yukata like she has done every year. When the day arrives, however, Kokone chooses to stick with a pink frilled shirt and a white skirt with simple white shoes. 

The three strolls down the streets. Miki and Gumi laughs merrily. Kokone tries to get herself involved with her friends, but she couldn’t ignore that day. Len tried to hit her, and she still wastes her time worrying about him. She shouldn’t give her sympathies to someone as pathetic as him.

But she also couldn’t ignore that his sister came to her two months ago. Rin discovered that Kokone witnessed the sufferings of the disease and needed guidance. Even more, Kokone’s sister was Len’s doctor alongside Dr. Camui. 

And worst of all, it had to be the same disease that killed Miku. 

Hearing laughter from the other side of the streets, Kokone turns her head, and she saw Len and his group of friends. He, Galaco, Lui, Piko, Rion, Nana, Anon, and Kanon.

And Rin is with them, Kokone can tell from her facial expressions that she would rather be far away than hang out with them. The group stands as they wait for the signal to change, allowing them to cross the road. When the light gives the signal, everyone takes their steps, and Kokone saw Len grab Galaco’s hand.

The two look so happy together, and Kokone found herself further disgusted. She was ready to turn her head when she notice it. 

By then, it was too late.

Len’s body no longer stands. Everyone’s eyes fall on him. The fireworks crackle in the sky. Blood fills the road.

“LEN!!!”

Eyes widening in pure horror, Kokone breaks free of Gumi’s grasps and runs to Len. Ignoring her friends’ surprised calls for her, she kneels down and feels Len’s face.

“Are you okay!?” Kokone calls out to him, hoping he is still conscious. Suddenly, a crowd forms and everyone panics. A few calls the ambulance. Classmates whisper amongst each other. Galaco cries in Anon’s arms. Kokone holds Rin close to her as the blonde panics and cries for her brother to wake up.

Kokone hears a comment from one of her classmates who has seen the relationship between Len and Kokone.

“He bullies her all the time, yet she comes to his aide now, after he falls. What a strange girl.”

~~~

Miku-nee.

It’s getting worse. Len’s been losing his footing so easily. He fell on me when he tried to hurt me, and now, he fell so suddenly during the summer festival. 

Why did the disease chose him?

If this was to be a punishment for his haughty ways, then it was a very cruel punishment.

 

But why do I care so much?

It’s not my business, but I still worry.

I can’t leave him like this.


	9. Unwanted Pain

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ten years ago, Miku's siblings cope with the unwanted illness  
> Present day, Kokone continues to ponder about Len

“It feels weird. It’s as if I can’t walk normally anymore. I hope it’s temporarily. I want to play basketball again.” 

Miku finished writing in her journal. Closing her book and placing her pen down, Miku raised her arms up to stretch. In a few minutes, she stood up, albeit slowly for her strength in her legs was growing weaker. Using her chair, she guided herself to the bunk bed she and Lapis share. She released the chair as she got to the ladder, climbing to the top bunk where she always sleeps. 

Her attempt to climb that moment gave her a message. 

Kokone rushed to her two sisters’ bedroom after hearing a thump, only to see Miku sitting on the floor, gazing up at the ladder in confusing.

“What happened, Miku-nee?” Kokone asked, unsure of what has happened.

“Kokone, can you find Lapis and ask her if I can sleep on her bed for now?” Miku asked. “I don’t think I can reach my bed anymore.”

“Okay,” her little sister answered. “Do you need help getting up?” She asked, walked towards her and offering her hand. Taking it, Miku began to stand and leaned to the ladder for support. 

“Thank you,” Miku said softly, heading to the bottom bunk. As she sat down, Miku laid down, resting her eyes gently. Seeing she wants to sleep, Kokone left to head to the dining room where Lapis was at.

Lapis wrote on her homework for the summer. Rather than waiting til the last minute to do everything, she decided to do as much as she can for the first week, just so she can relax for the rest of summer break. At the same time, she continued to think of Miku. 

She knew something serious was going on with Miku based on the arguments she has heard her parents having. Her parents never bickered so frequently before, and when they ever bickered, it was kept in their bedroom and at minimal volume so their five children wouldn’t hear them. Starting in May of that year, they bickered loudly in the family room, always ending when one of their two younger kids, Kyo and Kokone, would always walk in, asking if there was a problem. At those times, Kaito and Meiko would cease fighting and act as if nothing was wrong, saying their problems were only minor and the kids shouldn’t worry about it. 

Despite having been only five and eight years old at the time, Kokone and Kyo already knew better. It was about Miku and how sick she’s been. All four younger siblings have noticed how Miku’s health has been worsening. Of course, Lapis and Kiyoteru had a better understanding that something is seriously wrong, but Kyo and Kokone had also sensed that something isn’t right. 

Lapis couldn’t stop thinking about her sister. At that point, Lapis has already guessed that Miku’s illness is serious. If her parents were bickering constantly over it, then it’s that bad. 

‘I can’t worry about that right now.’

Lapis had gotten that thought to cross her mind. ‘I need to work on my homework,’ she thought as she made herself focus on her work.

Which didn’t last long, for Kokone had stood right next to her.

“Lapis-nee, Miku-nee is going to sleep on your bed.”

Out of focus again, Lapis turned to her little sister. Comprehending what Kokone has told her, Lapis put two and two together. 

“Could it be…” Lapis muttered to herself. She noticed the past few days how Miku has taken a little longer to climb to her bed on the top bunk. “Did she told you to tell me that?” Lapis asked. “What happened?”

“I heard something, like a person fall and hit the ground, and I went to check,” Kokone answered. “I think Miku fell.”

“I see,” Lapis answered. Finally standing up, she walked by her little sister and went straight to her bedroom that she shared with her older sister. Coming into the room, she saw that Miku hasn’t fallen asleep. Her eyes stared at the wall next to her as she pondered, deep in thought.

“Miku,” Lapis spoke up. “Let me switch pillows. I’m sure you want your own pillow.” Miku moved her head while Lapis grabbed the pillow.

“I’m sorry, Lapis,” Miku began. “It’s just tha-”

“You’re sleeping in the bottom bunk from now on,” Lapis interrupted her, throwing her pillow on the top while grabbing Miku’s pillow. “You fell trying to get up there, right?” she asked solemnly. Miku didn’t respond, only nodding her head slightly. When Lapis placed her pillow on the bed, Miku lied back down.

“Sleep well, Miku-nee,” Lapis whispered, leaning in and pecking her sister’s cheek softly. As she walked out of the room, she heard her sister speak softly. It was faint, but it crushed Lapis’s heart to hear her.

“I’m sorry for needing everyone to help me.”

~~~  
Rin rests her head on Kokone’s shoulder. From the crying to the endless worrying over her brother, Rin falls asleep as Kokone holds her. She knows what pain Rin is dealing with. Only she understands. When Len fell, everyone was in a panic. Screams echoed in the night. Even Galaco stood motionless. When the ambulance finally came and took Len, Rin took a step in the ambulance truck with him.

Kokone went to follow suit, but a hand grabbed her shoulder.

“What right do you have to go in there!?” Galaco screeched through her teeth. “You’re not Len’s friend!”

Before Kokone responded, Rin came and removed Galaco’s hand. “But she’s my friend, and she knows what to do, better than what your arrogant ass can ever do.”

Stunned by Rin’s words. Galaco stood in shock, and the truck closed.

Now, Kokone is waiting for any news on Len’s condition as Rin softly speaks in her sleep.

“I’m sorry, Len,” Kokone hears the sweet, nasal voice from the blonde girl as she whispers. Kokone rubs Rin’s shoulders tenderly, whispering soothing words to comfort her friend. Suddenly, Kokone’s phone vibrates in her pockets. Taking it out, Kokone saw Miki’s new text message.

“Is there something going on that you’re not telling us?”

She can’t hide it anymore. Kokone knows Miki and Gumi saw her run to Len. They most likely saw her get in the truck too. With only one hand, Kokone answers the message.

“I’ll explain everything tomorrow.”

As she closes her phone, Kokone hears footsteps rushing towards the hall where the two teens are at. Looking up, she saw a woman, long blonde hair and dressed in blue jeans and a blouse, running towards the two girls. Seeing them, the woman slows her speed, pausing when she is finally near the two girls.

“Rin,” she whispers, bending down, her hand caressing Rin’s face. Kokone notices the dry trail on the woman’s face. 

“Len is in the room over there,” Kokone informs the twin’s mother, pointing to the room near them. 

Their mother bows frantically. “Thank you,” she blurts out and leaves the two girls behind, rushing to see her son. While Kokone watches the twin’s mother leave, Rin snuggles up to her friend’s chest, continuing to whisper in her sleep.

“Len, I’m sorry,” Kokone hears the girl’s voice, soft and vulnerable, as she sleeptalks. “I should have been nicer to you when you said you wanted to ask Galaco out.”

“Well, those two deserve each other,” Kokone mumbles. “Actually,” she hesitates. “Len deserves better, but he’ll never get that chance, will he?” Kokone remembers the day Miku cried, realizing her reality that she’ll never have a family like she always dreamed of having. 

Remembering Miku has already pained her so much. Shortly after that day, Kokone had always assumed she would only remember the good days, the days where Miku was always laughing and wasn’t worried about her ultimate fate that couldn’t be altered. Now, Kokone is remembering even the dark days, where Miku would cry, wondering why she had to have this disease, a disease that would ruin her health, while there was nothing anyone can do about it. 

Kokone knows she didn’t have to force herself to worry about Len. She could’ve just ignored him like she has been doing before she ever found out about his disease. But there is this small voice in her, Miku’s voice to be exact, that urges her to watch him. Be there for him, she thought she heard Miku say. Help him. 

Kokone knows that once this sickness comes to light, everything will be put to the test.

Slowly shifting in her seat, she guides Rin’s body until she is laying on the bench. Seeing her uninterrupted, Kokone leaves her there, entering the hospital room where Len is resting as his mother speaks to Lapis and Gakupo.

“The disease is continuing at a rapid pace,” Gakupo tells her as Kokone walks in quietly, listening to them. “I recommend we have Len begin rehab as soon as possible.”

“Will it help?” His mother questions with concern.

“Rehab can lower the speed of the disease’s progress,” Gakupo answers. “I’d like to keep him here during the summer break. We’ll observe him and see if the progress will slow down during rehab.”

“But,” his mother speaks. “Len was planning to go to basketball camp this summer. He wouldn’t want to give that up,” she looks down. 

“Ms. Kagamine, Len’s health is more important right now,” Lapis informs her. “It would be best to have Len stay here with us.” Kokone notices that Len’s mother is trembling physically. Slowly, she walks up to her. 

“Ms. Kagamine,” Kokone speaks up. Lapis and Gakupo notice Kokone’s presence, and ultimately, they decide to allow the teen to speak to her. “I had an older sister who had the same disease as Len.”

Hearing her, Ms. Kagamine’s eyes widen, realizing she’s not the only who is facing this trouble. 

“What happened to her?” She asks. “Did she get better?”

Kokone shakes her head. “But she wouldn’t have last longer if it weren’t for Dr. Camui,” she informs her. “Because of his determination to keep my sister lively and happy, she was able to last for ten more years. If she didn’t do rehab and took her medication, she would’ve died much sooner,” Kokone eases up the woman’s worries. 

“I see,” she answers. “Please,” she says, looking at Gakupo and Lapis. “Take good care of Len.”

~~~

Miku-nee,

Have you wanted me to help Len? Were you trying to tell me, “watch over Kagamine Len?”

Rin and their mother is so worried about him. His health is getting worse. It reminds me so much of you. 

I shouldn’t be doing this to myself, but I can’t help it. A part of me feels I need to help him, even if he doesn’t want me. Maybe it’s just me wanting to be like you.

You always wanted to help others after all.

I must do my part.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And so I finally updated this on AO3 to where I last updated it on FF. Now I must do the same to Devil of the Classroom.


	10. Sweet Facade

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When the truth comes out, everything crumbles.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I got sick ;; But today, I got the motivation to work on this after days of sleeping my cold away.

Miku and Kokone decorated their pictures with variety of colors. With the weather being incredibly humid to go outside, Kokone suggested they drew to pass the time. Having sat at the table for half an hour, Miku colored freely with her little sister next to her. As she went to grab a different color, Miku noticed how dull the tips of the pencils were becoming.

“I’ll get a pencil sharpener, Kokone,” Miku told her sister, standing up.

“Wait!” Kokone dropped her pencils, quickly hopping out of her chair. “Miku-nee, you need help walking,” she reminded Miku. 

“It’s right there,” Miku told her, pointing to the drawers next to them. “I’ll be fine. Keep drawing, Kokone.” She stared at her older sister with a serious face, but seeing Miku act so reassuring, convincing her that she’ll be okay, Kokone sat back down. Watching her little sister color again, Miku walked slowly towards the drawers. She opened one drawer where she knew the sharpener was at, only to find a book she had never seen before. She had originally intended to push the book aside until the title caught her attention. Grabbing the book, Miku read the title.

Spinocerebellar Ataxia

‘What is this?’ Miku thought to herself. She opened the book, and slowly read the details, one by one. 

Meanwhile, Kokone continued to draw, never noticing until a good while later that her sister never left her spot. Looking up, Kokone saw her, still standing, and reading a book.

“Miku-nee,” she called out to her, snapping Miku out of it.

“I’m sorry, Kokone. I’ll get the sharpener,” she apologized, closing the book and returning it in the drawer. She searched only a few seconds for the sharpener, and then she returned to her seat next to her sister.

“What were you reading?” Kokone asked her, curious about the book.

“I was reading a college textbook,” Miku answered to her little sister, smiling sweetly with false words. 

“Eh?” Kokone looked at her, her eyebrows raising questionably. “Why would you read a college textbook?”

“Because I was hoping it will give me the answers to my next test.”

“But, Miku-nee, it’s summer,” Kokone reminded her. “We don’t have tests in the summer.”

“You don’t, Kokone,” Miku continued her charade. “But I do because I’m in high school. High schoolers have tests in the summer.”

“Really?” Kokone’s eyes widened, believing the words that came from her sister’s mouth.

“Really,” Miku smiled, feeling mixed feelings. She loved seeing her little sister’s shocked expression, but she wondered if this would be the only time she’ll ever lie to her.

~~~

The sun continues rising, eventually warming up Kokone and Rin as they sit on a bench next to the school gym. While they wait for Miki and Gumi, Rin throws her questions of curiosity to Kokone.

“How come you didn’t tell them what was going on?”

“Because I don’t think things through.”

“I see… did you think they would like you being with me?

“Not really, to be honest.”

“Is it because I’m Len’s sister?”

“Probably.”

Soon, they see red and green heading towards their direction. Sighing, Kokone waits for the two girls to arrive. 

“Rin is here?” Miki asks, reaching the two girls on the bench. 

“Who?” Gumi asks, ignorant of who she is.

“She’s Len’s sister,” Miki answers, turning to Gumi. 

“Eh?” Gumi’s shocked expression fades away as quickly as it has appeared. “Kokone, are you asking for a death wish?” Gumi begins to question her friend. “Len will kill you if he finds out you’ve been friends with his sister!”

“He already knows,” Kokone tells her in a dull tone.

“What?” Gumi didn’t expect this. 

“Kokone, why are you doing this?” Miki asks her. “Len has been nothing but mean to you. I’m sure Rin is much nicer than he is, but Len will go out of his way to make your life even more miserable.”

Rin shifts uncomfortably in her seat. Taking a deep breath, Kokone, having looked down to her legs for a bit, faces her two friends.

 

“Rin needed my help,” Kokone began to explain. “Len is sick.”

“I don’t get it,” Gumi admits. “If Len is sick, why not ask a doctor?”

“Yeah,asking a doctor sounds easy,” Kokone continues. “But it really isn’t. Nothing can save him. Absolutely nothing. In the next few years, we’re going to see him crumble until he can no longer do anything for himself, and do you remember my sister, Miku? How she was bedridden, couldn’t say a single word, and could only communicate with a katakana board? That’s what’s going to happen to him!”

Kokone sees the expressions in the faces of her two friends change, from curiosity to horror.

“It can’t be…” Miki mumbles, holding her hands to her mouth. Kokone nods. Silence arrives in the atmosphere. Gumi couldn’t say anything, only taking in her friend’s words. “Kokone, are you okay with this?” Miki asks. “I know Rin is going through a lot, but you have already gone through this, and it hurt you so much. Are you willing to go through it all again?”

Before Kokone can answer, the four girls heard a voice above them.

“Galaco, the coach just told the team that Len is being hospitalized for the rest of the summer.”

Recognizing the voice belonging to one of Galaco’s friends, Rin stiffens in her seat. Kokone sits still, unable to move, but she listens carefully.

“It looks like you chose the wrong boy, Galaco. Now you have to be responsible and go visit him. I’m so sorry.”

Kokone saw Rin’s hand clench onto her shorts tightly. 

“Galaco, just ditch him. You deserve a man who’ll do anything for you. Len can’t do that when he’s in the hospital, right?”

Rin stands up abruptly and doesn’t hesitate to walk away as fast as she can. 

“Wait, I see Rin. Oh god, I think Rin heard me!”

Miki doesn’t hesitate to follow Rin, jogging after her. Gumi follows. Kokone stands up.

“Yes, I know! I’ll tell her.”

Kokone doesn’t go very far when she calls to her.

“Kokone!”

She stops walking, and she turns her head. Nana waves to her.

“Could you tell Rin that I was joking? She knows Galaco would never do such a thing to Len,” Nana smiles, and Kokone saw through the facade immediately.

“Why should I do that?” Kokone asks her. “Are you afraid Rin will say something to Len?”

“Well,” Nana attempts to answer. “Galaco cares about Len a lot, so it would be bad if Len heard something about her from his sister.”

“Really?” Kokone turns around to face Nana. “Give me one good reason why I should tell Rin not to tell Len about Galaco.”

“Uh, well, you see,” Nana stutters. “You’re such a nice person, and a really loveable girl. I mean, you’re friends with Rin. You can convince her that Galaco and I weren’t serious.”

“Of course,” Kokone tells her. “But if I recall correctly, none of you bothered to try to get to know me. I accidentally spill my lunch on Len, and you all jumped in his defense. ‘Oh, she’s such a terrible person. She’s so clumsy. She’s not someone worth being near.’ You guys couldn’t give me a break over one accident, and you all praised the guy who couldn’t let it go. Even more, you looked down on Rin when she came to me, but you guys don’t know why she came to me in the first place.” Kokone sees Nana shifting uncomfortably. “And now, when something happens to Len, you’re all thinking of abandoning him. ‘Oh, he’s not as perfect as we thought he was. He’s not worth our time.’ You guys don’t even know what’s going on, and you refuse to care to know what’s going on.”

“But, you see,” Nana tries to explain. “It’s difficult when dealing with people who have to be hospitalized. They require so much attention, and we have so much going on in our lives.”

“So dealing with your life matters more than helping your own friend!?” For the first time, Nana sees the cold look in Kokone’s eyes and realizes that provoking the quiet brunette is a huge mistake. “You never had to deal with something like this! All you care about is being loved and doing well in school. Only your problems matter. If someone else is having a hard time, you don’t hesitate to abandon them!” 

“Kokone, please,” Nana tries to calm the girl down, and she hears a few steps behind her.

“What’s going on?”  
“Nana, what’s happening?”

Kokone sees the basketball players stepping out, wandering what is happening. Calming down, Kokone decides to end her talk to Nana.

“I’ll tell Rin not to tell Len.” Kokone sees a face a relief on Nana. “But Galaco has to be the one to tell him that she doesn’t want to be with him anymore.”

“Y-yes! I got it!” Nana agrees. Kokone turns around, heading to find where her friends went to.

~~~

“How’s Len?” Kokone asks when Rin comes up to her in the lobby.

“He’s working really hard in the rehab room,” Rin tells her. “Also, Gumi texted me. She’s going to give me cake for me to give to Len later.”

“That’s good,” Kokone smiles, happy to see her friends giving their support to Rin. 

“My mom is hesitant on telling Len though,” Rin sighs. “In your sister’s journal, it says she found out when she looked into a drawer. She found a book there.”

“Yeah, that college textbook she told me,” Kokone nonchalantly tells her, remember that day ten years ago. 

“You were so cute as a little girl,” Rin smiles. “Your sister tricked you so easily like that.” Rin sees the smile growing in Kokone’s face. “But, Miku didn’t write about how you found out. She wrote that eventually, your parents told you, but she wasn’t there.”

“Yeah,” Kokone sighs, turning to Rin, seeing her eye to eye. “One morning, ten years ago, I woke up to my parents arguing. I didn’t know what to do, so I went to my two sisters’ bedroom and woke Lapis up. She went and confronted our parents. And then later, my brothers and I had went down too. My parents had the four of us sit in the table, and then they told us…”

~~~

“Spinocerebellar ataxia?” Kiyoteru asked. “What is that?”

“It’s when the body grows weaker, but your mind is still fully aware of what’s going on,” Meiko answered. 

“She’ll get better, right?” Kyo questioned. Meiko and Kaito didn’t answer.

“Miku-nee is going to be better, right?” Lapis repeated Kyo’s question.

“Actually,” Meiko began to speak. “There’s no cure for this disease.”

The atmosphere grew thicker each second. The four siblings couldn’t respond, and they didn’t know if they could even respond to that. 

“It’s not true, right?” Lapis finally spoke. “There has to be a cure. You can’t just say she’s going to get worse, and there’s nothing we can do about it!” Lapis’s voice wavered, and she couldn’t stay calm anymore.

“How long is this supposed to last?” Kiyoteru tried to ask as calmly as he could, but his true emotions were still translated in his words.

“We don’t know,” Meiko answered, unable to keep a straight face anymore, the tears slowly falling. “Our doctor is doing everything he can.”

“It’s not enough!” Kyo cried! “He needs to save her! Miku-nee can’t just get worse and die!” At last, Kyo succumbed to releasing the tears. Kyo dashed away and ran out of the room. Lapis didn’t bother holding it in anymore, and Kiyoteru held her as she wailed.

No one noticed Kokone leaving the room. Closing her bedroom door behind her, the little girl climbed into her bed, grabbed her doll and clutched it as tightly as she can.

“Why did this happen to Miku-nee?” She wandered as a small tear rolled down her cheek.

~~~

Miku-nee.

If there was one good thing about your disease, it was able to tell apart the people who say they are by your side and the people who actually do stay by your side. My friends are still with me, but I wonder if Len’s friends can really be loyal to him.


	11. Growing Pain

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> And so Len does something Rin doesn't want him to do.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm terrible at remembering to update on here ;-;

It had been very boring for her, and Miku was unable to fight. She sat in bed, and just continued to ponder to pass the time. A few days prior, she had been checked into the hospital, shortly after an unusual fall outside her home. After a series of tests, and then several hours in rehab, Miku sat in her room, bored of what she could do. Dr. Camui recommended she’d sleep, but Miku wasn’t in a tired state. 

When the door slowly opened, Miku turned to see who was coming to visit. At first, it appeared to be nothing. Then in the next few seconds, a bouquet of petals of multiple colors was present. Miku couldn’t stop the grin that showed on her face. The door opened more, and came the face of Miku’s youngest sister.

“Kokone!”

The little girl entered the room, followed by her brother and his two friends. 

“Kyo, you came with your friends too!” Miku smiled.

“I got you some toys you can play with, Miku-nee,” Kyo told her happily, handing a bag to her.

“I got some manga for you in case you get bored and want to read,” Yu said next, taking out several comics and placing them on the bed.

“Here’s some cake, Kyo’s nee-sama,” Wil told her with a smile.

“That looks so yummy!” Miku expressed her happiness, staring at the cake in awe. “You didn’t have to do this for me.”

“But we wanted to,” Yu smiled shyly. “Actually, we can kind of relate to Kyo a bit.”

“Eh?”

“My dad died of cancer when I was very little,” Wil informed her.

“And my sister passed last year from this illness,” Yu revealed next.

“So Kyo told us about you, and we wanted to do what we can to make you both happy,” Wil admitted. 

“Oh my, you really didn’t have to.” There was no way Miku could hold back from tearing up a bit, hearing what they told her. “You two are amazing!”

As the day continued, Wil and Yu had to leave, but Kyo and Kokone remained in the hospital, keeping Miku company.

“You have great friends, Kyo,” Miku whispered, lying down on bed, though both children heard her. Kyo couldn’t hide the smile growing on his face. Before he could thank her, Meiko opened the door. 

“Kyo, Kokone, we have to go home now. Say goodbye to your sister.”

The two children bid farewell to Miku as Meiko leaves a goodnight kiss. As she slept, Miku felt reassured, knowing her brother has friends who were willing to help him.

~~~

“Len is taking Galaco out on her birthday.”

Rin and Kokone have just walked out of the hospital, and they decide to walk around down the city when Rin decides to reveal information her brother would never want Kokone to know about.

“What? How? Why?” Kokone begins to ask the questions of how it even happened.

“Galaco came to visit him in rehab,” Rin begins to explain the event. “And Len started apologizing to her because he had wanted to take her out on her birthday. His rehab therapist and Dr. Camui overheard and decided Len should have a day off and go out with Galaco instead.”

“And she agreed to this?” Kokone asks.

“Actually,” Rin begins to answer. “She didn’t look thrilled at all when the guys’ faces were turned away, but when they looked at her, she smiled as if it wasn’t a problem.”

“Oh dear lord,” Kokone sighs. “Galaco is playing with his heart. Unbelievable.”

“I tried to tell mom about it, but Len had already told her, and she looked so happy,” Rin informs her. 

“How about Len? Did you tell him?” Kokone asks next.

“After mom left, I finally told Len that Galaco doesn’t want to go with him, and…”

“And…”

“Saying he was mad is a bit of an understatement,” Rin answers. “He started calling me mean names, saying I was the worst sister because I’m hanging out with people like you, and then he kicked me out of his hospital room.”

“That boy,” Kokone sighs again. “What’s the deal with him and holding on to petty grudges?”

“It’s because of our dad,” Rin answers. “We should sit down,” she tells her, as the two girls come towards a bench. As they take their seats, Rin sighs, recalling her past.

“When Len and I were children, we lived with both our mom and dad. I was mommy’s girl, and Len was daddy’s boy,” Rin recalls her childhood, narrating it to Kokone. “But one day, when we were six years old, our dad moved out of the house. Obviously, Len didn’t take it well and blamed our mom for dad leaving because it was her who kicked him out of the house. Eventually, mom and dad had a divorce, and Len resented mom for it.”

“I see,” Kokone comments. “But there was the reason for the divorce though, wasn’t there?”

“There was,” Rin answers. “Four years ago, our dad was arrested.”

“What?” Kokone eyes widen in shock.

“Our mom tried to keep the information hidden from us, but it got on the news and made publicity, so eventually, Len and I found out. It turned out that he had blackmailed several high school girls into doing favors for him.” 

“Horrible!” Kokone cries out. “Why did he do that?”

“He did it after our mom kicked him out and separated from him. Len and I overheard our mom being interviewed by a cop who asked about our dad, and we heard her explain to him that the reason she forced our dad to leave was because he was cheating on her with multiple women.” Kokone gasps upon hearing her, but Rin continues. “Both Len and I were shocked with the news, but it damaged Len much more than it had damaged me, since as children, he did everything with our dad while I did everything with my mom.”

“I see,” Kokone sighs, feeling sympathetic about Len. 

“Throughout middle school, Len found it harder to let go of the small things, and then eventually, he began to bully students who ticked him off, even if it was accidental,” Rin continues to reveal the past. “All the kids Len picked on resented me because I’m his twin sister. As a result, I spent less and less time with him and his friends. By the time high school started, I was glad to have been placed in a separate class from all of his friends.”

“I see,” Kokone mutters. “Len is really hurting now,” she sighs. “Did your mother tell him yet.”

Rin shakes her head. “Dr. Camui and Lapis keep insisting she does, but my mom is still holding it off, saying she’s not ready and such.”

“But waiting until he’s on his deathbed is worse,” Kokone points out. “My brother Kyo’s friend, Yu, told me this back in my first year of middle school. When he was little, he had an older sister, and they were very close. Neither of them knew his sister was dying of a disease because their parents wouldn’t say anything to them. It was when she was on her deathbed, crying to play with Yu when their parents finally admitted she was going to die.” Kokone sighs. “Yu told me, in his own words, his sister began to beg her parents to take her back in time, because there were so many things she had wanted to do with him. She begged her parents to cure her, but when they revealed there was no cure, she cried, saying she didn’t want to die over and over.”

“Poor girl,” Rin whispers. Soon, her phone rings. Picking it up, Rin converses with the caller. “Yeah, I’ll come home now,” Rin says before hanging up. “My mom wants me home. She’s going to take me out to eat.”

“Okay,” Kokone comments. “Have fun.” At that point, the two girls bid farewell, and they both start heading to their homes, both fearing for Len.

~~~

Kokone wakes up to see a message from Miki, asking her to take care of the school turtles in her place as she has fallen ill, and Gumi is out of the city for several days. Having nothing better to do, Kokone dresses herself up in a simple pink frilled shirt and jean shorts before departing from her home. Reaching the school building, Kokone begins to tend to Miki’s summer job of cleaning the tanks. 

It had only taken an hour at most, but Kokone is almost done with her job. With one last tank to clean, she checks her phone and sees it’s almost noon. Kokone begins to plan in her head to eat at a nearby diner. Around the same time, students watching or attending the basketball practice begin to leave the building.

“Are you really going to go out with him today?”

Kokone remembers that voice.

“I don’t know.”

She also recognizes that one too.

“Galaco, you should call off the date. I mean, you don’t want to be miserable on your birthday.”

“I know. I don’t want to have to raise a sick boy for the rest of my life.”

The two girls are walking further away, while Kokone’s eyes widen. When she stands turns around, Galaco and Nana are already on their way out of school grounds.

~~~

Miku-nee...  
This is very bad.  
I need to tell Len before he leaves.


	12. Heel Realization

The sky was a gorgeous blue, decorated with the glow of the sun and the pure white puffs. Kokone continued to gaze at the summer sky, curious if there was even such thing as a world above her. She remembered Miku once told her that there was a special place where people go when they no longer can live in the world, and it was a place up above the sky, beyond the clouds. 

“Kokone, do you want to go on a walk with me?”

Little Kokone turned her head and saw that Miku finally had awoken from her nap. Miku was sitting on her bed, still dressed in her pajamas, and her long teal hair in simple, braided pigtails. 

“Is it okay for you to walk?” Kokone wondered. 

“It is as long as you’re with me,” Miku reassured her. “I’ll get dress, and then we’ll head out.”

“We have to stay in the hospital, though,” Kokone pointed out.

“I know,” Miku smiled as she stood up. “Have you explored the outside of the hospital? It’s huge,” she explained. “There’s so much to see,” she continued while stripping off her clothes, eventually dressing herself up in a simple blue dress. 

The two sisters walked out of the hospital, taking a stroll outside of the building. For a good while, the two girls conversed over anything, school, food, clothes, stories, family, and much more. Then once again, Kokone gazed at the sky, and she began to ask the question she had ringing in her head earlier.

“Miku-nee, are you going to the special place in the sky?”

“Wow, you remember!” Miku smiled widely. 

“Of course I do,” Kokone directed her attention to her sister and smiled. “I remember everything you say to me.”

“Well, Kokone, do you believe I’ll go to that special place one day?” Miku asked.

“Yes I do,” her little sister answered. 

“I see,” Miku whispered. “I believe you’ll go there too, many years later, when you’re old and have lived a long happy life.”

“Really?” Kokone asked. “What about you?”

 

“Me?” Miku began to wonder. Would she really live so long?

“We’ll see,” Miku answered. The two girls continue their walk.

~~~

“Rin! Rin!”

“Uuu, Kokone?”

“I’m sorry I woke you up, but this is an emergency.”

“What’s wrong?”

“Len is going to get stood up.”

“What.”

“Galaco is going to not show up on their date.”

Rin sighs very deeply, well aware that something like this is going to happen.

“Please, try to call Len or your mom, just one last time.”

“Got it.”

Rin hangs up on the phone call. Kokone is walking towards the hospital, and she looks at her phone, looking for her sister on her contact list.

“Hatsune-san?”

Hearing someone call her name, Kokone turns around and sees a classmate she’s barely converse with.

“Anri-san?”

Standing in front of her, Anri Rune, a girl in the same class as Len and Kokone, gives her a puzzled look.

“Were you calling Kagamine Rin about her brother?”

“Eh? You know Rin?” Kokone asks.

“Of course I do,” Rune answers. “I’ve known the Kagamine twins for a long time, and to be honest, you’re very strange.”

“Hmm?”

“Why are you helping Kagamine Len? He hasn’t done one nice thing to you,” Rune points out.

“I know that, but-”

“But what? Are you one of those masochist girls who loves a boy because he’s hot, even if he treats her like crap?”

“It’s not like that,” Kokone answers, taken aback by Rune’s assumption.

“Then why?” Rune asks. 

 

“I’m sorry, but I need to go to him,” Kokone tells her, and she almost turns when Rune makes another comment to her.

“Please reconsider what you’re doing, Hatsune-san. Len doesn’t care about anyone except the people who matter to him. You already crossed a line when you befriended Rin.”

“Huh?” Kokone turns to face Rune again. “What are you saying?”

“All of Len’s harassment towards his peers in middle school were all mild,” Rune explains. “And it wasn’t a big deal because everyone turned against Rin for what Len did. However, the complete opposite happened with you. Instead of resenting Rin, you befriended her, and now Len is afraid that he’ll lose his precious sister to a girl he deems unworthy of being close to them.”

“What?” Kokone couldn’t help but feel shocked, realizing that she really was right in that Rin shouldn’t have been seen with her, but she also grows confused on how Rune knows this much.

“I saw what happened that day, when Len and his friends found you. Len really wanted to hurt you,” Rune points out. “Kokone, please reconsider what you’re doing.”

Suddenly, Kokone’s phone rings. Looking at the caller, she immediately answers her phone.

“Rin?”

“It’s hopeless! Mom left her cellphone at home, and Len is pissed that I asked him to stay at the hospital instead of going on the date.”

“Oh crap.”

“Kokone, please run to the hospital and catch Len before he goes off. Please! I’m begging you!”

“Got it!”

Kokone hangs up, and she immediately turns, running to the hospital, completely ignoring Rune, who watches and sighs with worry.

~~~

Opening the door, Kokone finally pauses in her running. As she takes a deep breathe, Kokone looks around, finding herself in an empty room. Having caught her breath, Kokone looks around, hoping that Len may still be around.

“Kokone?”

Kokone turns back to the doorway, seeing her sister, Lapis, gazing at her with a puzzled look.

“Lapis-nee, did Kagamine-san left?” Kokone asks, walking towards her sister.

“Yes he did,” Lapis answers. “You just missed him.”

“Oh no…”

“Is something wrong?” Lapis wanders.

“Doctor!” Lapis turns around, and Kokone sees a nurse pop into the room. “Did Len left?”

“Yes,” Lapis answers.

“Aww,” the nurse makes a look of defeat. “I just got a call from someone named Sawato Galaco.”

‘Really?’ Kokone thought in her head and sighed out loud. ‘The one time she does something decent, it’s now…’ Without hesitating, and ignoring the conversation between her sister and the nurse, Kokone runs off. Leaving the building, running on the streets, uncaring she’ll lose her breath again, Kokone runs, knowing she needs to get there.

_“You’re very strange.”_  
“He hasn’t done one nice thing to you.”  
“You already crossed a line when you befriended Rin.” __

__Anri Rune’s words continues to echo in her head. Kokone can’t deny it. Rune is right in every sense. At the same time, though, all while she couldn’t help but worry about Len, Kokone couldn’t reject Rin when she came to her, asking for help. Kokone knows the situation is overly complex._ _

__She is well aware that Len’s life is already tarnished._ _

__Kokone also wonders, how Rune know so much. She did say she knows the Kagamine twins, but Kokone couldn’t stop herself from wondering if Rune had actually known them personally._ _

__Soon, Kokone feels little drips land on her, and she stops just to sigh very deeply. After the sigh ends comes the harsh pouring of water._ _

__“You gotta be kidding me,” Kokone sighs again before she runs again, soon forgetting that she’ll eventually be soaked._ _

__In a few minutes, she finally makes her destination, and immediately, she sees a man selling umbrellas. Kokone has went to grab her wallet, except the man hands her an umbrella, already open._ _

__“Take it,” he tells her. “On the house.”_ _

__“Thank you,” she says to him, bowing her head in gratitude. Grabbing the umbrella, Kokone continues to look around until she finally sees blonde hair with blue clothes. No longer needing to run, Kokone slowly walks towards him. Once she is behind him, she extends her umbrella out, shielding him from the drizzling while she gets even more wet. In only a few seconds, he notices he’s being protected, and turns to meet pink eyes. His blue orbs widen in disbelief._ _

__“If you stay out like this, they’ll keep you at the hospital even longer,” Kokone informs him._ _

__“What.” Len doesn’t know how to reply. In fact, he couldn’t even think of what to say to her._ _

__“She isn’t coming,” she finally tells him._ _

__“Huh?”_ _

__“She called the hospital to tell you something urgent came up,” Kokone explains, as well as lying to him. Knowing how much Len has cared for Galaco, she decides it’s best not to crush him yet with the reality that Galaco is planning to abandon him._ _

__“And you came here to tell me that?” He asks, still a little confused with her actions. “It’s already enough that you humiliated me during school the first day.”_ _

__“Again, I’m sorry,” Kokone interrupts._ _

__“Don’t interrupt-”_ _

__“No!” Kokone tells him harshly. “I can apologize to you as much as you want. I can say I’m sorry that I spilled food on you. I can say I’m sorry that you’re stuck in the hospital. I can say I’m sorry that your sister decided to be friends with me. I can also say I’m sorry that you feel bad for resenting your mother in the past because your father was a bad person.”_ _

__“What?” Len is taken aback by her statement. “How do you know!?”_ _

__“I’m also sorry that Galaco decided to stood you up. I’m sorry that you feel the need to hurt me because I’m taking your sister away from you. I’m sorry your mom doesn’t want to tell you about your disease.”_ _

__“What?”_ _

__“I can apologize all I want, but what will it take for me to get through your thick skull that you’re dying!?”_ _

__“What disease!?” Len yells at her._ _

__“Spinocerebellar Ataxia!” Kokone finally reveals the vital information his mother worked so hard to keep Len from knowing._ _

__“What?”_ _

__“Your footing is going to get worse. Your writing and grip with your hands are going to get worse. Your speech is going to get worse,” Kokone continues to explain to Len his situation. “You falling onto me that day when you intended to hurt me was part of your illness.”_ _

__“No way,” Len mumbles. “It can’t be,”_ _

__“It’s true,” Kokone admits to him. “Your body is going to start failing until you’re bedridden.”_ _

__“It can’t be,” Len says, turning his face away from her. “I’m going to get better.”_ _

__“No, you’re not.”_ _

__“Yes, I do!” Len shouts. “Don’t act like you’re an expert.”_ _

__“I’m not an expert, but I know it better than you do,” Kokone informs him._ _

__“So how do you know that I’m ill with this deadly disease?” He asks coldly. “Because your sister is a doctor?”_ _

__“Because I saw my sister die from this disease!!”_ _

__Len’s eyes widen, taken aback to hear Kokone scream so loudly, and slowly processing her words._ _

__“Len, I saw it happened to my eldest sister,” Kokone finally reveals to him. “For ten years, I had to watch her condition grow worse and worse until she was bedridden by the time I graduated from elementary school,” she explains to him. “And I kept visiting her, watching her try so desperately to speak to me.” Then, Kokone took a silent gulp._ _

__“She died last Christmas.”_ _

__The rain falls, not as heavy it had been earlier. Slowly, Len takes hold of the umbrella, but instead of accepting it, he pushes it towards Kokone._ _

__“You’re weird,” Len tells her. “How can you come to me like this when I hate you so much?”_ _

__“Because your sister came to me,” she answers quietly. “She didn’t know what to do when she learned of your disease.”_ _

__“I see,” Len whispers, realizing his family knew and locked him out of the loop. “Well, here,” he says, handing over a bag he has held to her._ _

__“Eh?”_ _

__“This has all the sweets Galaco loves, but maybe you’ll like them,” Len tells her. “And I guess… you can hang out with my sister.” Seeing Kokone’s puzzled look, Len continues. “It’s not that I can control her, but I don’t really want to lose her,” he sighs. “But it doesn’t matter, since it doesn’t seem like I’ll be around.” Turning around, Len walks away._ _

__“You’ll ge-”_ _

__“I don’t care,” Len tells her sternly. “I’m fine.”_ _

___~~~_  
_  
Miku-nee,_

___I know it wasn’t in my place to be the one to tell Len about his disease, but I lost control of myself. It slipped out of my mouth as I explained his future to him. Would his mother be mad at me for saying something to him?  
____ _


	13. Warmth and Suspicion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Although he's aware of his illness now, the trouble won't cease so easily...

“Lapis, I’m sorry to ask for so much,” Meiko began to talk to her second child. Her three daughters were standing out in the doorway of her home, ready to depart to go shopping. “But your older sister has recently been discharged from the hospital, so she’ll need a lot of assistance so please help her out.”

“Mom, you don’t have to worry,” Miku tried to brush it off with a smile. 

“I understand, mom,” Lapis told her. “I’ll look out for Miku-nee.”

“And Kokone,” Meiko began to speak to her youngest child, bending down so their eyes met. “Please watch out for Miku and make sure she’s okay. Listen to Lapis as well when she asks you to do something, okay?”

“Okay, Mama,” Kokone reassured her. “I’ll be good.”

“Thank you,” Meiko smiled. “Have fun!” 

On a sunny afternoon, the three sisters decided to go shopping shortly after Miku was free from the hospital. Lapis and Kokone always kept their eyes on Miku, whose legs traveled slowly and required more effort to move them. Even if she apologize for being slow, Lapis always reassured her sister that she was okay, even ignoring the stares the three have received that evening. 

Reaching the clothing store their family love to go to, the three girls went to buy their own things. Kokone and Lapis accompanied Miku to collect clothes the latter wants to buy. Lapis soon parted to pick up what she wanted, trusting Kokone to stay with Miku when they go to collect a toy for her. Kokone found a doll and showed it to Miku, who smiled and said it was cute. At that time, a child, a boy not much older than Kokone, came up to them.

“Miss,” he began speaking to Miku. “Why do you walk like a penguin?”

Before Miku or Kokone could react, an older man came up.

“I’m so sorry,” he whispered, grabbing the child. “Excuse us,” he apologized, taking the child with him. “Son, we don’t ask that.” Although he tried to speak quietly, Miku and Kokone heard him. “It’s rude,” he continued to scold him.

“She was walking funny!” The little boy said loudly, trying to defend himself. 

“He was still being rude,” Kokone whispered upon hearing his words.

“It’s okay, Kokone,” Miku tried to reassure her little sister, looking down at her with a small, forced smile. She wouldn’t admit to her, however, that it actually hurt her. “Don’t tell Lapis, okay?”

“Huh?” Kokone became confused. “Why?”

“We don’t want her to get angry over nothing,” Miku reasoned. “Besides, the kid’s father is scolding him.”

“You’re right,” Kokone sighed. “Let’s go find Lapis-nee,” Kokone decided, holding Miku’s hand as they head to find their sister.

~~~

Kokone and Rin drink their sodas as they head to the hospital. In the summer heat, with only a week left until the break was over, the two decide once again to head to the hospital.

“I’m not surprised you let it out,” Rin speaks up. “I mean, if my mom wasn’t going to, then I figured I might slip it out, or in the worst case, you because you actually witnessed the disease firsthand.”

“Yeah,” Kokone sighs. “I’m sorry, Rin.”

“No worries,” Rin tells her. “Oh boy, my mom was pissed when Len said he knew of the disease. She assumed your sister said something.”

“Oh man,” Kokone sighs deeply, imagining the scene.

“I was surprised though,” Rin points out. “Len claimed he found out himself.”

“What?” Kokone looks at Rin. The two are in front of the building, and Kokone pauses, standing still as she stares at Rin. She takes several more steps before stopping, turning to face her.

“Len didn’t rat you out,” Rin informs her. “That really surprised me, since normally, he’d do so, considering he doesn’t like you.” Rin takes one more sip of her drink. “Maybe he stopped hating you because he learned from his disease from you.” Rin shakes her drink, only to hear ice. “Ah, it’s empty,” she whispers, heading towards the trashcan next to the entrance. 

“Rin, do you think Len will change his behavior?” Kokone asks, finishing her drink and following Rin to throw out her cup.

“I don’t know,” Rin tells her. “I mean, I know he’s had issues with our dad, and there is something else too,” she sighs.

“There is?” Kokone asks?

“Yeah, but I’ll tell you about that later,” Rin tells her. “Let’s go see my brother.”

Entering the building, the two girls waste no time heading to Len’s room. In addition, workers begin to grow familiar with Rin, much like they have with Kokone. Several doctors greet the two girls with warm smiles. 

“It seems people are comfortable around you now,” Kokone points out.

“It must be because of you,” Rin states. “You came here often as a child after all.”

“Miku-nee mentioned that?” Kokone asks.

“Did you not read that far?” Rin turns to her, curious.

“Well, I’ve only been reading up to how far Miku-nee has gone through high school,” Kokone answers. “I want it to be a seven year journey, from when she started high school up til she could no longer write.”

“I see,” Rin smiles. “Seven years? So there were three years left after that,” Rin ponders. “Those years were when you were in junior high, right?”

“Yep,” Kokone answers.

“How was she like those years?” Rin asks. She hears Kokone sigh deeply.

“She always smiled, even when she was unhappy,” Kokone answers. “I knew she was miserable, so all I could do was stay by her side every day,” Kokone continues. “She couldn’t talk, and she was bedridden, so she required extensive care.”

“I see,” Rin comments, soon receiving an image of her head. She sees a vision of Len, lying in bed, forever unable to walk, and he no longer speaks properly. Violently shaking her head, Rin tries to wipe the image from her mind.

“Are you okay?” Kokone asks, her hand on Len’s door in the hospital.

“I’m okay,” Rin reassures. 

Nodding Kokone slides the door open. Sitting in his bed, Len looks up, surprised when his eyes fall on her, but a small smile escapes when he sees his twin.

“Hi Rin,” he says, and Kokone tries to hide the look of shock. This is the first time she ever saw him give a look of sweetness to anyone. Kokone recalls the looks Len gives to Galaco, and none of them are as caring as the look he gives to Rin.

“Hi Len,” Rin greets him. “I brought my friend over,” she tells him. 

“That’s okay,” Len tells her. “I was getting bored, though I told all my friends not to see me.”

“Oh? How come?” Rin asks. The two girls, having closed the door, sits on the bed next to Len’s.

“No reason really,” he answers. “Kinda didn’t want to hear people feeling sorry for me cuz Galaco blew off our date.”

“Makes sense,” Rin sighs. 

Kokone sits and listens, watching Rin converse with Len so freely. She also couldn’t help but notice Len’s demeanor around Len. With his friends, he has a tough boy persona, and he’s even bold to Galaco and her friends. With Rin, however, Len drops the tough attitude and replaces it with a sweeter side. With his friends, it’s just talks of practice or challenges of who is tougher, but with Rin, he asks about her day, if she ate, if she took care of herself, everything a brother says to his sister.

“I need to use the bathroom,” Rin announces. “I’ll be back,” she continues, leaving the room, Kokone and Len by themselves. Kokone watches Rin as she closes the door behind her.

“Hatsune,” Len’s voice calls out. Kokone quickly turns her attention to him, and she sees the all too familiar dark look on his face. “Don’t hurt her,” he coldly tells her.

“Huh?” Kokone suddenly grows confused. 

“I never liked the idea of you being friends with my sister,” Len explains. “But I guess you have good intentions,” he says, sighing. “Also, I guess what happened the first day of school really was an accident, so it was foolish of me to lash out I guess.”

“Len, please,” Kokone tries to tell him it is okay, only to be interrupt.

“You’re not allowed to call me by my name,” Len tells her fiercely. “Kagamine should be good to you. Understand, Hatsune?”

Kokone nods.

“Good,” Len sighs. “Listen, I will hurt you if you make Rin cry,” he threatens. “Even if I get weak from this disease, I will come after you if you dare hurt my sister.”

“I understand,” Kokone tells him, though a little shyly, as well as relieved that Len’s cruelty towards her has ceased at last.

~~~

When hours pass, Len finally sleeps, leading the two girls to leave the hospital. With much of the day left, Rin leads Kokone the way to her home.

“It’s only an apartment with four rooms,” Rin describes her home to Kokone. “My bedroom and Len’s bedroom are next to each other. Mom’s bedroom is across from mine, and the bathroom is next to her.”

“Sounds homely,” Kokone compliments. “I’ve lived in a house my entire life.”

“Yeah,” Rin recalls the book. “Despite how big it is, your siblings still had to share rooms, although you always had your own room.”

“That’s right,” Kokone smiles. “Did you actually complete the book?”

“Yes I did,” Rin answers gleefully. “That way, I’m prepared for the future.”

“I see,” Kokone says. 

“Oh yeah,” Rin recalls as they reach the apartment complex. They begin to walk up the flight of stairs when Rin continues. “Len used to have a girlfriend back in junior high school.”

“Hmm?” Kokone turns to see Rin’s face.

“She was a really close friend of me and Len, and she was there for us during the time of our father’s arrest,” she explains. “But, during the summer of our first year of junior high, she broke up with him without warning.”

“I see,” Kokone whispers, and the two finally end their walk on the stairs, coming closer to Rin’s home.

“It really hurt him, since Len really cared about her,” Rin continues, finally reaching her home. Opening the door, she welcomes Kokone in, and they take their shoes off.

“Even more-”

“Are you home, Rin?”

Interrupted by the familiar voice of her mother, Rin perks up in shock.

“You’re home?” Rin asks, taking off her shoes and coming towards her mother. Kokone follows and sees Rin’s mother sitting on the couch next to her classmate.

“Oh, I see you brought your friend too,” her mother smiles. “Kokone, right?”

“Yes, that’s Hatsune Kokone,” Rune confirms, sitting next to the woman. “She’s a nice student, Lily,” she informs her.

“Oh, she really is as nice as Rin says then,” Lily smiles brightly, and Kokone notices the way Lily’s hand strokes Rune’s hair so lovingly. 

“Kokone and I visit Len today,” Rin informs them.

“Oh, how is he?” Lily asks.

“He’s fine today,” Rin answer. “Kokone and I will go to my room,” she tells her.

“Alright, have fun,” Lily tells them as Kokone follows Rin. Once they get into the bedroom, Kokone finally speaks her mind.

“Your mother appears to be so close to Anri.”

“She’s my neighbor,” Rin points out. “My mother pretty much loves her,” she states. “Hell, it’s as if she loves her more than she loves her own children.”

“What do you mean?” Kokone asks.

“After our dad left, Len pretty much either avoided mom or acted mean to her, and since my mother raised me to protect my brother, I always came to his aid, so Anri came and was the one to tend to mom when I couldn’t be there. As a result, my mom became so close to her, to a point where she even willingly cooks for her and buys clothes for her.” 

“I see,” Kokone says, now realizing how Rune knows so much about the Kagamine twins. “Oh,” Kokone says, “I need to use the bathroom, I’ll be back.”

“Okay.”

~~~

Kokone steps out of the bathroom, intending to return to Rin’s room only to hear the conversation of Len being brought up.

“What’s going on with Len?” Rune asks. “He’s been in the hospital all summer long.”

“Well, Rune,” Lily begins, and Kokone found herself eavesdropping, hiding behind the wall and listening. “Len has spinocerebellar ataxia.”

“Spino…” Rune tries to pronounce the name of the disease.

“It’s a terrible disease,” Lily sighs. “Soon, Len won’t be able to walk and will have to be in a wheelchair. He also won’t be able to carry things, and he’ll soon lose his grasp on items.” As Rune listened and Kokone continued to eavesdrop, Lily continues. “Even more, he won’t be able to speak. Then, he’ll be bedridden.”

“That’s awful,” Rune gasps. “Will he get better.”

“There’s no cure,” Lily tells her, shaking her head. “It’s so hard, but I hope you’ll be there to support us, Rune.”

“Oh, I will always support you guys. You know that,” Rune tells her, and Kokone found herself puzzled.

“Please, Rune, don’t tell anyone about this, not to anyone at school,” Lily begs her. “I’ll talk to his teacher, but I’m sure Len doesn’t want his classmates to know.”

“You know I’ll keep a secret for you,” Rune tells her.

“Thank you,” Lily smiles, and Kokone, feeling she’s heard enough, returns to Rin’s room.

~~~

Miku-nee,

There’s something strange about Anri Rune. When I talked to her that day when I chased Len, she spoke about him so coldly, but she’s so friendly with his mom. She also tells her that she’s always there for them…

I feel there’s something off. Actually, Rin seems to know something, but I don’t want to ask her about it. Not yet.

Maybe I should let these thoughts slide…

On the bright side, Len’s slowly warming up to me. He now trusts me to be with Rin. It looks like he won’t bother me at school anymore.


	14. Defend and Fight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When the world turns against you, sometimes you need to fight... and it was supposed to be a secret.

“Kyo-nii, play with me,” Kokone began to beg, tugging on the older boy’s jeans. Kyo has been sitting at the dining room, reading for his class, only to be interrupted by his younger sister.

“Heh, sure,” Kyo agreed, uncaring he’d be doing work at night. “Let me put this away, and we’ll go down town. Oh, Kokone,” he tells her, knelt down to see her eye to eye. “How about we go get ice cream and walk at the park today?”

“Really?” Kokone’s eyes sparkled, and her smile grew brighter with enthusiasm.

“Of course,” Kyo smiled. “I’ll get my money, and we’ll go.”

Within minutes, the two children were out of the house, walking towards downtown in the city. As summer break had come to an end, there were less students swarming around town. Kyo held Kokone’s hand and led the way. 

“Can we buy something for Kiyo-nii and Lapis-nee and especially Miku-nee?” Kokone asked, looking up to her brother. 

“Yeah, we’ll stop by a store and get some nice charms for them,” Kyo reassured her. Not long later, the two enter colors of multiple flavors of sweetness.

“Kyo-nii! Kyo-nii!” Kokone said in excitement. “I want strawberry ice cream, Kyo-nii!”

“I know,” Kyo laughed, and soon came the time when they can finally order their ice cream. 

“Isn’t that sweet,” the lady in the counter commented after accepting their order. “I often see girls buying for their little brothers, but I never have seen a boy order for his little sister.” 

“Well, ma’am,” Kyo began while blushing lightly. “I have two older sisters and an older brother, so I learn from them.”

“You children sound as though you’re all well behaved,” the woman smiled.

“We really are,” Kyo answered, and the two conversed freely while Kokone stared through the counter, watching the workers tend to their ice cream. After receiving their snacks, Kyo went to pay, only for his money returned to him.

“I’ll take care of the cost,” the lady told him kindly.

“Wow, thank you!” Kyo beamed, taking his little sister and their ice cream, and the two left the shop. Heading to the park, the two siblings lick their sweets to their hearts’ content. 

“So yummy~”

The entire noon, Kokone smiled widely, showing off her endless beam of energy. At the park, Kokone and Kyo played endlessly, and with their fun came the sunset. Upon noticing the tint of pink, Kyo decided it was time to depart, stop by the store, and then head home. Kokone and Kyo walked by the park, two siblings smiling as they walk by, when three of Kyo’s classmates call out to him.

“Ello, Hatsune~”

Kokone heard the way one of the boys spoke to her brother, and she immediately sensed something was wrong.

“This isn’t your sick sister, is it?” He asked, pointing at Kokone. 

“It definitely isn’t,” another boy answered maliciously. “His sister is the girl who walked like an idiot.”

“Yeah!” The third boy joined in. “She was walking like this,” he told them before demonstrating, waddling while creating a distorted face.

“Knock it off,” Kyo snapped at them. “Leave my sister alone.”

Instantly, arms roughly pushed Kyo away from Kokone. In a matter of seconds, Kyo was held in the grip of one boy, his arms trapped. Wincing from the rough gestures, Kyo caught the sight of his classmate grabbing Kokone.

“Don’t hurt her!” Kyo yelled.

“Oh please,” one of the boy said. “Who knows if you and your little sister have the same illness your retarded sister has. My mom says people like her are a waste to society, and perhaps, you are a waste too since you are related to her.”

“Stop it!” Kyo yelled.

“Kyo-nii!” Kokone cried, trying to squirm away from the boy that held her arm.

“Shut up, kid!” The boy that held a tight grip on her arm commanded, only to be met with more screams from the little girl. Growing irritated, his hand grabbed a fist full of hair, bringing her closer before his other palm that released her arm striked her cheek.

…

“We’re sorry!”  
“Don’t hurt us!”  
“We’ll leave!”

“AND STAY AWAY FROM US!!”

On the ground laid three boys, their skin coated in red and blue marks. Kokone sat on the ground, unable to contain herself as her tears spilled madly, and her wails echoed throughout the park. 

“Don’t ever think of hurting her again!” Kyo threatened, the kind glint in his eyes replaced with a cold look. 

“We didn’t mean it,” one of the boys stuttered out.

“I’m getting out of here!” Another cried, wincing in pain as he attempted to stand up. 

“What’s going on?”

Several people stood nearby, a few having witnessed the scene entirely. Kyo’s classmates limped away, and he finally cooled down. With a sigh and ignoring the looks of the strangers surrounding him, Kyo went straight to his little sister.

“It’s okay,” Kyo began to comfort her. “The mean boys are gone now.”

Even though she knew they were gone and was happy her brother chased them away, Kokone couldn’t stop the tears from falling. Not wanting to force her up, Kyo wrapped his arms around her, and he held her, carrying her while leaving the park. Not long afterwards, Kyo felt her go limp in his hold.

“We’ll have to shop for our siblings another time,” he whispered.

~~~

“-kone… Kokone! Wake up!”

Her eyes slowly opens, and Kokone’s pink orbs first captured a white coat with blue hair over it.

“How can you sleep here?” Lapis asks with a small chuckle.

“I’m sorry,” Kokone tries to apologize but a yawn escapes her mouth. “Last night, dad and I were being stupid and decided to battle with multiple board games.”

“Of course,” Lapis laughs. “How is our father anyways? Is he good?”

“He’s been well,” Kokone answers. “I mean, his smiles are more genuine now.”

“That’s good,” Lapis smiles. “And mom?”

“She’s better too,” Kokone informs her. “She’s able to focus on work clearly now, although I sometimes see her cry some nights.”

“I see,” Lapis comments. “Kokone, I should probably tell you,” she continues. “You really amazed me this year.” 

“How so?” Kokone asks as Lapis sits next to her.

“When she passed,” Lapis begins to explain. “We all lost a part of ourselves, but you had been so lifeless for over a month.”

“Oh yeah,” Kokone realizes.

“I guess Kyo took you to the hill on your birthday, didn’t he?”

“He did,” Kokone answers, a small smile appearing.

“Miku had originally planned to show you that hill when you started grade school, just like she had done to the rest of us, but that day never came because of that…”

“Yeah…”

“Oh yeah,” Lapis suddenly remembers. “Are you here to help Len and his family today?”

“Yep,” Kokone answers. “Rin asked me to help her and her mom out, since Len is being discharged today. I’m just waiting for Len to finish his last physical tests.”

“Is he still mean to you?” Lapis asks.

“Not really,” Kokone answers. “He’s not mean without a reason.”

“I see,” Lapis smiles. “I guess his heart changed because you came to him when his date didn’t.”

“It’s possible,” Kokone laments. “The snacks were really yummy.”

“Snacks?”

“He had candy for her, but since she didn’t come, he gave them to me,” Kokone tells her. Afterwards, Kokone felt vibration in the pocket of her shorts. Taking her phone out, Kokone reads the text she receives from Rin.

“Len is almost done, but he can’t seem to walk too well anymore… Anyways, can you come to the room?”

“Len is going to leave in a bit,” Kokone informs her sister. 

“I see, so he’s almost done,” Lapis sighs. “I wonder how school will be for him from now on.”

~~~

“We are now in the second semester,” Mr. Norasaki informs his class. “Be sure to study hard so your grades can improve from the first semester. Next week, we will have an exam, so be sure to study.” After finishing his lecture, he continues. “There is one more thing I’d like to mention. It’s about Kagamine.” Right away, a few heads turn to Len while the teacher continues to speak. “He is suffering from a complicated disease. Currently, it is restricting his ability to walk freely. It will take some time for him to recover. I’m counting on everyone to help him both in and out of class.”

Immediately, the class nods in agreement. 

“I rather not be a bother,” Len states his thoughts.

“It’s okay,” Piko tells him.

“We’re all here for you, buddy,” Lui adds in agreement.

“Don’t worry.”  
“We’ll help.”  
“We’re all friends.”

~~~

“I’m amazed,” Gumi states as she cleans up the science lab. “Len hasn’t done one bad thing since we got back to school.”

“He’s sick,” Miki points out. “What do you expect?”

“Well, he’s so petty. I’d expect him to keep his distasteful behavior even as his health worsen,” Gumi explains.

“He’s not like that,” Kokone sighs, sitting on the chair as her two friends clean the room. “He isn’t so bad after you know a bit about him.”

“That’s true,” Miki sighs. “Kokone, we’ll take care of things from here.”

“Are you sure?” Kokone asks.

“We’re fine,” Gumi reassures her. “Go to Rin.”

“Okay,” Kokone says, standing up. “I’ll see you both tomorrow.” Kokone waves to her friends, leaving the classroom. She walks down the hallway, passing the students who walk or stand by, uncaring of their conversations, until she heard Len’s name.

“Did you hear a boy in class 1-2 has some disease?”  
“Yeah, I heard there’s this kid who is going to be crippled, and then he’ll begin to talk like a defected person.”

Her pink eyes widen. 

“Excuse me,” Kokone immediately went to the two boys. “Where did you hear about that?”

“What? About the sick boy?” Kokone nods. “That news has been spreading for the past two weeks.”

“Everyone talks about it,” the other boy adds.

“But how would you know he can’t speak soon?” Kokone asks. “Mr. Norasaki never said that.”

“Oh?”  
“I guess it’s a rumor?”

“Where did you hear that from?” Kokone asks again.

“I heard of this from my brother, who is a senior,” one explains. “Said the seniors were learning about it.”

“Yeah,” the other boy joins in. “It’s all the students talk about ever since school resumed.”

“I see,” Kokone says. “Thanks.” She bows to them before walking away. As she walks farther away, she finally catches the sight of Rin, but before she can even go up to her, someone’s voice comes to her ears.

“Look! It’s the girl related to the crippled!”

Three boys immediately come up to Rin, and Kokone watches as they bother her.

“How can you live with such a diseased boy?”  
“People like him are a waste to society.”  
“Your family should get rid of him, since I was told he’ll never recover and just become more stupid and weak.”

‘Waste to society…’

“Leave her alone!” 

Kokone’s screams echo through the hallway, capturing the attention of the students near them.

“If anything, you guys are the disease of society,” Kokone begins to scold them. “Telling her to dump her brother solely because he’s ill? What’s the matter with you!?”

Each second, Kokone’s voice grows louder and louder, and whispers begin to spread among the students watching the scene.

“Is that…”  
“Unbelievable. She’s so quiet in class.”  
“Didn’t Kagamine Len used to bully her?”

Growing more worried, and unable to take in the cold lectures of the usually quiet Kokone, the boys immediately apologize and run off, leaving Rin to stare at them in disbelief. 

~~~

Miku-nee…

Rin told me when her mother went to tell Mr. Norasaki about Len’s disease, she asked to keep it secret from the class. Somehow, not only our classmates, but the entire student body knows about Len’s illness. 

I don’t get it. Mr. Norasaki isn’t the kind to spill stuff like this…

Unless…


	15. Deceit and Exposure

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> More trouble to rise, and she learns a horrible truth.

The weather was becoming colder each day. Students began to wear jackets and long exercise pants for gym class, as class continued to be outside. 

“We are going to jog around the football field today,” the gym teacher instructed. “Afterwards, we are going to exercise and practice dribbling. Do you understand?”

“Yes,” The students replied in a dull tone.

“I can’t hear you,” he spoke louder. “Do you understand!?”

“Yes!” They answer, this time in a louder voice.

After giving instruction, he eyed his students, his eyes falling on her. He walked towards her and began to talk to her in a lower voice.

“Miss Hatsune, what about you?”

Miku switched between looking at him and looking at the ground. She began feeling a little foolish for dressing in her gym clothes since it seemed she would never be able to move around freely again.

“Tohoku and Hatsune can return to the classroom for self-study then,” he instructed, excusing the two girls from doing any athletic activities. “Let’s go!”

The remaining students walk on, but Miku could hear their words.

“Good for them, I guess”  
“It’s always those two…”  
“Miku went from the most athletic to the most useless…”  
“They’re cheating.”  
“Wish I was as sick as them.”

Even after they left, Miku still heard their words, and it struck her in the heart. These people who she once got along with so well suddenly spoke of her rather spitefully.

“Miku, are you okay?” Zunko asked her as she walked up to her. “We should get going,” she told her.

“If they so badly want my disease, then I’d happily switch places with them,” Miku whispers.

“Miku?”

“If they so badly want a disease that would ruin their life and even kill them, then I’d love to switch places with them and let them realize how hard it is…”

“I’m sure they didn’t mean it,” Zunko tried to explain. “People said similar things about me too, but I know that, deep down, they just want to get out of gym. No one wants the diseases we have after all.” 

Zunko allowed her hand to grab Miku’s, and the latter held it tightly as they walk back to school together. Zunko kept her pace slow as Miku’s ability to walk worsened.

~~~

Break time comes, and everyone gets up, preparing to eat and spend time with their friends. Before Kokone has the chance to stand up, her voice speaks up, echoing throughout the room.

“Hatsune-san, I need to talk to you.”

Kokone’s pink orbs make contact with blue ones. As she stands up, she quickly notices Len’s serious face and his hands clenching tightly. Ignoring it, but taking note of it, Kokone walks towards Rune and follows her out of the classroom, ignoring the questions their classmates were raising. 

“Is there something wrong?” Kokone asks, genuinely confused, but slightly suspicious that whatever Rune’s concern is, it relates to Len. The two continue to walk in the hallway up until they reach a vacant classroom. Rune opens the door and enters, with Kokone following her.

“Close the door,” Rune commands.

“What do you need?” Kokoen asks,closing the door behind her.

“The past month, I notice you have been picking a fight with many students,” Rune begins to explain. “Several students in class have reported to me that you come up towards anyone who criticize Len and you blindly defend him without a reason.”

“What?” 

Kokone grows very confused and speechless. Picking a fight? Criticize Len? Blindly defend him?

“On behalf of our classmates, I request that you cease defending Kagamine Len, and I also ask that you refrain from spending any time with his sister,” Rune orders.

“Excuse me,” Kokone replies. “I don’t think you’re aware that students have been badmouthing both Rin and Len,” she points out. “Rin is my friend, and I want to protect her.”

“You know Len is against it.”

“He accepts it,” Kokone points out. “He warned me not to hurt her, but he is okay with me being around her.”

“You shouldn’t listen to Len,” Anri tells her. “I warned you not to get close to the twins weeks ago.”

“And how about you?” Kokone asks. “You spend time with their mom and know everything about them,” Kokone states. “I find it strange that you’re so close to Lily, but you speak rudely about her kids.”

“That’s because Lily accepts me to her family,” Anri explains. “If it weren’t for me, Len would’ve abandoned his mother after she kicked their dad out of the house. If it weren’t for me, Len would’ve remained a sobbing mess after discovering his dad is a pedophile. I even dated him in middle school!”

“What?”

Kokone’s eyes widen, quickly taking in the situation.

“Yes, Len was my boyfriend in middle school, but he became so arrogant that he crushed my heart and dumped me in favor of Galaco,” Rune informs her. “Look, Kokone, don’t get so close to the twins because they’ll do the same thing to you.”

“I see,” Kokone says, taking in the information. “Thank you for your concern,” Kokone tells her turning around and her hand holding the door handle. “But I’m afraid I need to decline your requests. Rin is my friend and more than anything in the world, I want to help her and her brother.”

Without allowing Rune a chance to speak or answer, Kokone leaves the room in a haste.

~~~

The way home from school feels the same as it has for the past month. Kokone takes note of the leaves turning red, with the autumn wind breezing by. She accompanies the twins, both girls staying in Len’s pace. It’s clearly noted that he’s unable to walk as freely as he can anymore. 

Kokone also notes, to her delight, that Len’s friends are no longer hostile to her. As the days had gone by, Piko and Lui gradually accept Kokone as person to respect, and after learning about the date disaster, the boys feel a sense of admiration and respect towards her.

Of course, Galaco and her friends cease talking to Len, Piko, and Lui. Kokone notes that ever since school resumed, Galaco has blatantly avoided him, and the two girls crossed paths in the hallway two weeks ago, Kokone couldn’t refrain herself from speaking.

“He was waiting out in the rain for you, and you didn’t have the decency to show up.”

Kokone also wonders if Galaco had known anything about Len’s disease, but it seems more unlikely than anything, as Galaco has kept her distance intentionally, refraining from speaking to the boys and keeping herself to her friends.

“Eh--”

Kokone notices immediately that Len’s footing slips up. Without a second thought, Kokone extends her arms out, holding him to keep him from falling. 

“Kokone? Rin?”

Hearing the familiar voice, Kokone and Rin turn their heads and realize immediately they are next to the all too familiar shop. 

“Mizki!”

“Oh, is that…” Mizki’s voice trails off as she leaves the building, heading outside and examining Len. “Oh, why don’t you three enter?”

“Rin, who is this?” Len asks.

“She’s a childhood friend of Kokone’s,” Rin explains. “Her mother was there for Kokone’s older sister when she had the disease.”

“I see.”

The three enter the building, and Len couldn’t help but stare at all the items on the shelf.

“Oh, Rin! Kokone!” Luka exclaims from behind her desk as her younger daughter, Rana, perks up and notices the teens. “My, Rin, is this boy your brother you have spoken to me about?” Luka asks, coming from behind the desk.

“Yeah, it’s him,” Rin answers. 

“He’s cute,” Rana comments, staring at the boy. 

“And now my little sister is thinking about boys,” Mizki laughs. 

“Come to the back room,” Luka tells them. “I’ll make you guys some nice, warm chocolate.”

“Oh, you don’t have to,” Rin tries to excuse themselves.

“Oh, I insist, and I notice Len isn’t walking properly, so how about you two wait here and have your mother pick you up from here?”

“What?”

“Really?”

“Now you have to accept,” Kokone tells them. “Because she doesn’t accept no for an answer.”

“But really, you don’t need to do this,” Len states.

“I insist,” Luka states. 

~~~

“Thank you so much for being so kind to them,” Lily bows, thanking Luka while Rin helps Len in the car. 

“It’s not a problem,” Luka tells her. “Your children are very well behaved, and they are more than welcome to wait for you in my shop.”

“It’s getting late,” Mizki notes, staring at the darkened sky. “Kokone, will you get home okay?”

“Yes, I’ll be fine,” Kokone answers. “I already said goodbye to Rin and Len, so I’ll be on my way.”

“Alright, take care,” Mizki tells her.

“Bye Kokone!” Shouts Rana.

Bidding her friends farewell, Kokone continues to head downtown. She needs to buy ingredients for dinner, as her mom asks her to do through text, and she continues to ponder about the twins, as well as she recalls Rune’s words. 

“Excuse me?”

Hearing a soft, sweet voice, Kokone turns and sees a girl behind girl. She quickly notices the girl is wearing the same school uniform as her.

“May I help you?” Kokone asks while examining the girl. She holds her school bag with both hands and has her black hair tied in two pigtails. Her blue eyes stares directly at Kokone.

“I saw you enter a classroom with Anri Rune,” she reveals. “Your classmates were saying Anri needed to talk to you. Did it have something to do with Kagamine Len?”

“Huh?” Kokone is simply taken aback from her. She’s never met her and yet, she knows so much.

“I don’t know what Anri told you,” she talks again. “But you really shouldn’t trust the things Anri Rune says after all.” 

“What do you mean?” Kokone asks, and she sees the girl open her school bag, reaching in and pulling out a recorder.

“Here, have a listen,” she instructs Kokone, pressing the button, and the latter hears Rune’s voice.

“I need to inform you that Kagamine Len is finally getting karma back right at him. He loves to make fun of students, with Hatsune Kokone being his favorite victim. He now has fallen ill as punishment due to his rude actions.”

An audio of several students whispering plays through the recording.

“In days to come, he’ll be crippled. He won’t speak properly. He’ll gradually become stupid each day. He’ll be a nuisance to society, a burden to his family, and a waste of space to us. However, our teachers ask us to continue to treat Len nicely, but why should we be nice to him when he’s never done one nice thing to us?”

~~~

Miku…

Excuse me as I go kill someone right now.

Just…

Unbelievable!!

What a two-faced bitch she is!!

How dare she do that to Len!? And for what, just because he seemingly broke her heart or something?

Nothing is adding up here, sis! If he broke her heart, then how is she so close to Len’s mom, and she seems to kind and sweet to her, as if she has no idea what her son has done… ?

I don’t believe this. There’s something missing, but I don’t know what it is.


	16. Cold and Spite

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was originally supposed to be uploaded last week, but an endless load of homework assignments before finals took up a lot of my time.

Meiko was the only parent allowed to enter the shoe locker room freely, only so she can accompany Miku. Each morning, as Miku’s conditioned worsen, Meiko took it upon herself to drive Miku to school after dropping Kokone off to kindergarten. At the time Meiko began to do this, she was not alone in helping her daughter.

Meiko arrived, having Miku right by her side as she guided her and help her balance while reaching her locker. Each passing day, two of Miku’s classmates and friends, SeeU and Zunko, wait patiently for her. At first, Meiko couldn’t bring herself to accept the help from the two freshmen, but as the days pass and Miku’s condition worsen, Meiko gladly accepted the help from the two girls. 

Each morning, Meiko would leave SeeU and Zunko to help Miku put on her school shoes as she continued ahead to place Miku’s school belongings in their classroom. Each morning, SeeU and Zunko would ask questions to their friend, to ensure that she was okay.

“Does it hurt anywhere?” SeeU always asked.

“Can you reach your shoes?” Zunko asked every morning.

As soon as Miku got her school shoes on, Zunko would take Miku’s other pair and place them in the locker while SeeU began to guide Miku to the stairs. Zunko would follow and help SeeU assist Miku to the second floor as their was no elevator. As soon as Meiko finished sorting Miku’s desk nicely and greeting every student passing by her, she returned to her daughter and took over assisting Miku. Even then, SeeU and Zunko remained near the two, in case Miku was in need of more assistance. 

The morning routine had always been the same. Some days, Zunko was absent, but it never stopped SeeU from helping Miku on her own. 

“Have a good day at school, Miku,” Meiko would tell her daughter. “SeeU, Zunko, thank you both so much,” she always told them.

SeeU and Zunko always accompanied Miku. It was what friends do, and deep down, it was a way of telling Miku “thank you for everything.”

At the start of the school year, SeeU had been bullied simply for being half Korean, and she never had a single friend. Within the first day of school, Miku, healthy and lively at that time, had come up to her once and told her something SeeU had never heard from any of her classmates.

“You have the most gorgeous hair!” Miku exclaimed that day. “It’s so long and wavy and golden! I love it!” 

From there, Miku never stopped conversing with SeeU. She had been so fascinated with her that she wanted to talk to her more and more. Due to this small action, Miku had become SeeU’s first friend.

Zunko, while never bullied, had been looked down upon for being a sickly girl. Even though she didn’t suffer the terrible rare disease Miku had gained, Zunko was born with a weak heart and poor immune system. Receiving illnesses was common for her. As soon as Miku was excused from gym class, Zunko took it upon herself to comfort her when she was saddened that she couldn’t be with her friends. 

“Everything will be better,” Zunko had told her. 

In return, Miku gave her the sweet smile she always has. 

As soon as Miku’s condition became visible, all of her friends from middle school moved on with their lives, claiming they were busy and couldn’t be bothered to help her. While all the excuses piled up in an attempt to hide their shame in having befriended a crippled girl, SeeU and Zunko never ceased to help her in every situation. 

“Today, I write to say how much I love SeeU and Zunko,” Miku began to write in her diary one day. “I can’t do anything for them… I can’t even begin to express how wonderful they are and how grateful I am to have them. Everyday, they help me and my mother, even when they have problems of their own. I don’t deserve them…”

~~~

Len’s condition worsens. On a cold autumn morning, Kokone waits for Lily’s van to pull over near the sidewalk to school while remembering the warning Rin has given her the previous night. Rin also asked that night to help them a bit, as they are unsure of how this would work.

It doesn’t take long for Kokone to receive company.

“What are you doing here?” Piko asks, in a tone that isn’t as rude as it was months ago. He walks with Lui to the spot where Len is always dropped off at.

“Rin asked me to help them this morning,” Kokone answers. “Are you thinking of gutting me?” She asks, bringing that day from three months prior.

“Okay, looks like I never apologized for that,” Piko sighs.

“We didn’t really mean it,” Lui tries to explain. 

“You’re a nice girl,” Piko continues. “We were only following Len’s orders because he was mad that you befriended his sister.”

“He never lets anyone go near her,” Lui points out.

“Is there a reason why?” Kokone asks.

“Well, we only became friends with Len in our second year of junior high,” Piko begins to explain. “And by that time, he threatened us not to get closer to Rin, but I guess it’s because of the rumor about her the year before.”

Before Piko can explain more or Kokone could even ask, the van reaches their sight, coming towards them while the students walk by. Once the van pulls over, Lily and Rin immediately exit the vehicle.

“Oh, Len isn’t sitting in the front anymore?” Lui asks.

“Good morning, Kokone!” Rin greets her. “And nope, he’s in the back,” she answers Lui’s question as Lily opens the door. Instead of Len hopping off like Lui and Piko expected, Lily pulls out a wheelchair with Len on it.

“What?”

“I’m sorry to bother you with this today,” Lily informs the boys while Rin and Kokone are already warned of this. “With Len’s ability to walk continuing to get worse, the doctor insisted he use a wheelchair from now on. I hope this isn’t an issue.”

“Mom, I can do this myself,” Len tries to reassure her, but the two boys immediately pitch in.

“We’ll help!”

“Thank you so much!” Lily exclaims, then wishes her two children to have a good day as she hops into her van and drives away.

~~~

Everyone pitches in to help Len out as much as he can, especially Kokone, Piko, and Lui as the three are in the same class as him. With Len being wheelchair bound, more assistance is expected to be given to him, and the students all smile with seemingly cheery faces as they help him out. 

As time passes, one day, Kokone decides to eat lunch with the three boys instead of her friends. From that moment, Kokone begins to hear their true feelings towards her.

“You know, Hatsune Kokone,” Piko tells her as they ate. “You’re not that bad. Maybe we misjudged.”

“You seem to be an expert on Len’s condition,” Lui points out, unaware of what Kokone has been through. “How do you know so much?”

Before Kokone can even open her mouth, they are interrupted rather coldly.

“Hatsune Kokone, please see me right now!”

Turning around to the source of the harsh voice, Kokone spots the angry red face of Anri Rune. Letting out the biggest sigh, Kokone stands up and follows the class president out to the hallway. 

“Did you forget my warning last month?” Rune asks coldly. “I told you to stay away from Kagamine Len?” She continues in a harsh tone. “Are you crazy!? Do you want to get hurt!? Stay away from him!” She makes not a single attempt to speak quietly to Kokone, nor does she even bother to find an empty classroom like she did the previous month. Rune’s harsh voice towards Kokone has captured the attention of every single student walking by the two. 

“You’re making a scene,” Kokone states, in hopes that Rune would at least relocate them before worsening the situation. “Even our classmates can hear you from there,” she points out, noting that they are only right outside their classroom.

“It doesn’t matter,” Rune tells her. “Hasn’t what Len did to me leave an impact on me? Do you not care that he hurt me in the past? He’s nothing but trouble, and I can’t believe you’re making an effort to help him! He doesn’t deserve the attention just because he’s going to die!”

With the biggest sigh and keeping her boiling blood in check, Kokone looks fiercely into Rune’s eyes and begins to speak her mind.

“Anything Len did to you in the past does not excuse what you’re doing to him right now.”

“What are you saying?” Rune asks in confusion, trying to keep a superior composure.

“You broke your promise to his mother.”

As soon as the nearby students notice Rune’s eyes widen in shock, they wasted no time gossiping to each other, wondering what is even happening.

“I-I don’t know what you’re saying,” Rune begins to stutter, further confirming to the knowledgeable students nearby that she isn’t exactly class president material. 

“Really?” Kokone continues. “I was there that day when you made a promise to his mother to never tell anyone about the true nature of his condition, and not only did you tell everyone about it, but you had went out of your way to convince everyone that Len is a burden to his family.”

All the chatter ceased immediately. All eyes fall onto Rune, left standing with a look of horror. Anyone can easily tell that Rune thought she devised the perfect plan and never expected to be caught. 

“B-b-but… who told you about those rumors?” Rune begins to talk, still stuttering over the shock that she’s been caught. “Whoever told you that is lying!”

“I doubt it if you’re stuttering so much,” Kokone points out, leading Rune’s face to glow red in embarrassment. Unable to keep her composure any longer, Rune quickly turns and bolts away from her, leaving Kokone with the very confused and suspicious students around her. 

“What a bitch,” Kokone hears Piko behind her. “Is she seriously that petty that she has to get revenge on Len like that?” he asks while Kokone turns around to see him and a girl she’s familiar with coming towards him. 

“She’s not getting revenge on him,” Tianyi informs them and briefly shocking Piko with her presence.

“Oh it’s just you,” Piko sighs. “I didn’t think you were here too.”

“I’m glad you remember me, Utatane Piko,” Tianyi smiles. “I’m sure you remember that Rune never liked Len, and now that she’s learned of his disease, she’s using it to destroy him.”

“What do you mean?” Kokone asks.

“I can explain, but break is almost over, so I’ll tell you another time,” Tianyi tells them with a smile, and as if on cue, the bell rings, signalling the end of break time.

~~~

The weekend arrives, and Kokone arrives in school with her mother, Meiko for parent-teacher meetings. Kokone plans to head off to the basketball game in school but is stuck to help Miki in the science lab first. As the time passes, Miki and Kokone begin to speak of what had happened that day.

“Do you know of any reason that Anri is trying to ruin Len’s life?” Miki asks while cleaning a fish tank. “Seriously, what’s with her?”

“I don’t even know what’s going in her mind,” Kokone admits while sighing. “It’s as if she wants Len to suffer, like she has this sort of hatred for him.”

“Do you think Len did something bad to her in the past?” Miki asks. “Much like how Len treated you at the start of this year?”

“Anri did tell me last month that they were dating and Len broke her heart,” Kokone reveals. “But then, yesterday, after that moment, a classmate of theirs from middle school told me that Anri isn’t doing it out of revenge, but out of spite.”

“Oh?” Miki wonders. “Did she lie to you about their past then?”

“I don’t know,” is all Kokone can say. “It seems this classmate, Luo Tianyi, knows what happened between them, but break ended, so she couldn’t tell me.”

“I see,” Miki sighs. “Well, I’m done cleaning, so we can head out, although I was thinking…”

“Hm?”

“How about we take a peek and listen in on the parent-teacher conference?” She asks with a seemingly innocent smile.

“Hah, you aren’t as mature as you act,” Kokone laughs. “Let’s do it.”

After placing everything away, the two girls walk quietly up the stairs to their homeroom, curious of what is being said. As they reach the door, they tiptoe quietly until they are next to it, crouching down so they won’t be seen.

“That concludes our debate today. Any questions?”

“Oh, we missed it,” Miki whispers.

“May I say something?” The two girls hear a woman ask. “I’d like to speak up since Ms. Kagamine is here.”

“Oh?” Both Miki and Kokone perk up, curious on what she will say if her request is granted.

“Go ahead.”

“It concerns her son. How will the school plan to deal with their situation?” The woman asks.

“My daughter tells me he is often late to class,” another parent speaks up.

“Aren’t these issues distracting for the class?” Another asks next.

“Well, Ms. Kagamine and I have already discussed how to handle this,” Mr. Norasaki answers.

After a few seconds, Miki and Kokone hear Lily speak.

“I apologize to everyone for the disturbance we are causing. My son is aware of it as well. I intend to do everything I can to help.”

Very quietly, Kokone brings her body upward enough so she can take a peek at the classroom without exposing herself. Her eyes fall onto Lily, who is standing and bowing to the other parents.

“Please, I appreciate your support,” Lily tells the other parents.

“Haven’t we helped enough already?” One parent asks.

“My son Piko’s grades have gone down thanks to your son,” Piko’s mother rudely tells her.

“Ma’am,” Mr. Norasaki tries to end the conversation, but the parents continue to speak against Lily.

“Your son is in a wheelchair in a school without an elevator.”

“He’s in constant need of help.”

“Suppose my child was to be harmed because she was trying to help your disabled child.”

“Can’t you do us a favor and take your kid out of this school?”

“He’s not worth our children’s time.”

“We aren’t trying to pin blame.”

“As parents, we wish we can help, but we already have so much things to do.”

“You all should be ashame of yourselves.”

Kokone spots her mother standing up and calling out the remaining parents.

“Ms. Kagamine is doing everything she can for her son, and all you are doing is putting her down and shaming her for her son’s disability. As parents, we should be helping each other no matter what.”

Kokone notices all the parents facing their mother in shock. While many are aware they are being selfish, a few try to speak more on the situation.

“It’s not like we’re telling her to disown her child,” one parent tries to explain.

“What do you know about that kid’s disability anyways?” One grumbles coldly.

“What do I know?” Meiko repeats the question in a cold attitude. “What do I know?” she repeats herself as she comes towards the parent who dared asked her that question. “My daughter had that same disease!”

Kokone heard the quiet gasps among a few parents, and everyone has their attention towards Meiko.

“I know exactly how Ms. Kagamine is feeling because my oldest daughter went through the same disease for ten years until she finally died last Christmas, and you’re trying to question my experience?”

“Look, I didn’t kno-”

“You didn’t know? Of course, you didn’t know, otherwise, you wouldn’t have made that stupid remark in the first place. For a parent, you sure act worse than your own child!”

“Mrs. Hatsune,” Mr. Norasaki tries to calm her down. “Please…”

“Where the hell is your compassion!?” Meiko yells at all of the parents in the room, turning her attention away to the adult she cornered. “I bet, if your child was to have the same disease, you all will be feeling the same way Ms. Kagamine is feeling right now! You all would be feeling what I felt for ten years!”

Meiko takes a deep breathe, allowing deep silence to consume the aura, and Kokone takes notice of a few parents shifting uncomfortably.

“Ten years ago, I was a mother of five children: a daughter in kindergarten, a son in grade school, two children in junior high school, and my oldest daughter in her first year of high school, in this same building. Now, I am a mother of four children… a doctor, a teacher, a college student, and my youngest daughter in the same class as your children. For ten years, my children, my husband and I were struggling. My first born child was ill and going to die, and she needed help all the time. We all worked together to take care of her, to make her happy, and to ensure that when the time comes that she must leave us, she would die happily. It was hard. Each passing day, she couldn’t walk. She couldn’t talk. She couldn’t hold anything. Yet, we worked so hard to take care of her and to be there for her. Even I know that she was hurting. She always felt that she never deserved the love she gained from us. She even once admitted that she felt she ruined my life.”

Kokone notices a small tear roll down her mother’s face. Meiko takes a deep breath before she continues to talk.

“Ms. Kagamine needs our help. We should be helping her, not complaining to her and wishing bad things to happen to her.” 

Kokone notices her mother looking directly at Lily. 

“When my husband and I found out about our daughter’s illness, we couldn’t believe it. No parent ever wants to hear that their child is going to die and there was no cure to save them. I went to several hospitals and read many books, hoping to find that there was a mistake, that there is a cure, that my daughter can be saved. Unfortunately, it was the truth. When Miku found out, all she said was, ‘why did it chose me? I’m only fifteen.’ She had to give up so many things she loved. She couldn’t go to the movies with her friends. She couldn’t play basketball. She couldn’t pick up my youngest daughter when she wanted to be held. Yet, despite all of that, she loved going to school more than anything. She came out of school every day because she got to be with her friends. Even then, she knew she couldn’t stay in this school any longer, and when it got so bad for her, we had to take her out and place her in a school for handicapped students, where she remained until she graduated. I’m sure you want a little more time for your son to be in this school until the time comes where he can no longer continue being here.”

“Yes,” Lily speaks, noticeably moved by Meiko’s words. “If possible, I’d like to give my son a little more time until he decides when he’s ready. I’ve mentioned it to him last week, and he said he needed time,” Lily informs her. “I know I am being selfish, but please give us more time. When Len can finally decide what he wants to do, I will take him out.”

~~~

Miku-nee,

I wonder if you heard our mother’s voice during the parent-teacher conference. She was wonderful… I couldn’t stop myself from remembering the days where you were still there. I still remember.

If only I can see you one more time… maybe you would be able to help Rin and Len from this hell. I’d love for you to meet them.


	17. Cowardice and Shame

Lapis focused on her assignment, unaware of how silent home has been in past months. Normally, the house would be loud, with Kyo and Kokone running about, and in some days, Kyo would even bring his friends over, increasing the volume of the ruckus at home. In those days, Kiyoteru and Lapis would struggle to focus on their homework as Miku further worsens their ability to concentrate by actually joining the two younger children in their fun.

But ever since the discovery of Miku’s illness, the happy loudness had passed on. Kyo would sit in his bedroom, coming up with ways he can be stronger for Miku. Kokone placed all of her attention on drawing, all in hope that her artwork would make Miku smile. Kiyoteru had already spent less time at home due to having started junior high school, but since learning of Miku’s illness, he had come home even less, staying in school for longer hours and putting more focus on school as his way of coping with his family situation.  
Lapis was still the same as she had been. She was still the quiet, friendly teenager who always had Miku’s back and always focused on her school work in hopes of doing well at school, even if, at the time, she didn’t know what she wanted to be when she becomes an adult. With Miku trying to do her homework in their shared bedroom, Lapis opted to do her work in the dining room while Meiko cooked dinner that evening. Lapis focused on her work, even though in the past two months, her grades have slipped a little. Lapis’s teachers, already aware of the situation, could only do so much for Lapis, but they still noticed she was trying her hardest. 

Lapis had continued to write until she ran out of space to do so on her paper. Standing up, she walked towards the drawers, opening it to get another piece of paper, only to find a pamphlet inside with the words “MIDORI UMI - School for Handicapped Children” written across the top of it.

“School for Handicap…” Lapis whispered the words as she read the title. “Are mom and dad thinking…”

“Lapis!” Meiko called out. “Dinner is almost ready. Can you call down your siblings? Although, I don’t think Kiyoteru is home yet, and your father has to stay at work later again.”

“Mom, what is this?” Lapis asked loudly, heading inside the kitchen and holding the pamphlet in her hands. “What are you and dad thinking?”

“Oh, that,” uttered Meiko upon recognizing the pamphlet. “Miku’s principal gave it to me,” she revealed to her daughter.

“What?” Lapis reeled it in, her eyes widening in shock. “Are they trying to get rid of Miku from her school!?”

“Lapis, keep quiet. Miku will hear you, and I don’t want to show it to her just yet,” Meiko told her daughter. 

“I see,” Lapis sighed. “But why would they give the pamphlet to you? Are they trying to get rid of Miku-nee because of her illness?”

“The principal told me that while they enjoy Miku and want to help as much as they can, they don’t have the technology to help her,” Meiko informed her. “Every day, Miku’s two friends and I help Miku to her classroom. The school has no elevators so we have to guide her to the stairs. The Principal feels Midori Umi is better suited for Miku as it has everything needed to help Miku.”

“But…”

“I already know how Miku feels though,” Meiko revealed. “She always apologizes to anyone who helps her, feeling she is just a nuisance, but her friends are willing to help her every day. Her teacher and classmates are also willing to help Miku. I am also aware of just how much Miku loves her school. For now, she doesn’t want to leave.”

“Are you going to tell Miku?” asked Lapis.

“I will later,” Meiko answered. “Right now, she’s happy to just go to her school and be with her friends.”

Within the stairway, just close enough to hear the conversation in the kitchen, Kokone sat on the stairs, her face resting on her knees, hearing the entire conversation that had followed. Being very young, she couldn’t comprehend it completely, but she was able to understand this:

Miku may have to go to another school.

~~~

“Those parents… even my own mother,” Miki sighs as she and Kokone walk out of their school building.

“Gumi’s mother too,” Kokone sighs as well. “Why are parents like that?” Kokone wondered. “Wishing for them to go through the same experience is just too much, but even then…”

“Parents, in reality, have no sense of empathy,” Miki points out. “I didn’t learn to emphasize from my parents,” she states. “I learned that from you, Kokone.”

“Huh? How so?” Kokone asked, surprised to hear Miki say it.

“Until I saw you with Rin and learn about Len’s illness, I saw Rin only as a girl who would get you in more trouble with Len,” Miki admits. “You probably never noticed, but Len never wanted anyone near Rin, so she was often alone. When I found out you had become friends with her despite Len’s threats, I was just so confused until I found out everything. Len’s illness, Len’s childhood, how much he loves his sister and doesn’t want her to get hurt to the point where he chases away anyone out of fear that they would harm her…”

Kokone and Miki sits down on the bench in front of the school building. The two girls look up at the sky and hear the distant cheers of the basketball game. 

“It sounds like we’re winning,” Miki states.

“They’re winning for Len,” Kokone points out.  
A few more minutes pass, and the parents finally exit the building. Miki and Kokone remain sitting as the parents walk by, only for the two girls to hear their discussions.

“What do you think about this decision?”

“Absolutely disgraceful. While I understand Ms. Kagamine is suffering, I absolutely refuse to let this matter drop.”

“It’s disgusting how this school is allowing a disabled kid to enroll…”

“Our children are going to get hurt thanks to a boy who got himself in his current situation.”

In only a matter of seconds, Kokone’s blood boils to maximum levels. Unable to keep herself calm, Kokone stands up abruptly.

“You disgusting, selfish adults!”

Immediately hearing a harsh voice much colder than Meiko’s, the parents turn to see an enraged girl.

“My mother was right. You’re all worse than your own children and should be ashamed to even call yourselves parents!”

The parents gape at Kokone, with two parents even jogging away out of fear. The rest could only stare and squirm in horror, with one parent even whispering.

“This is Hatsune’s daughter… just like her mother…”

“My class is willing to help Len, but all you guys care about is your children having good grades or being better versions of you. I hope that, one day, you all go through an experience that makes you suffer as much as Kagamine-san is suffering!”

No one could move at all. Even Miki couldn’t move, only sitting there and staring at her friend’s outburst in shock.

“We’re sorry,” one parent tries to apologize, only for Kokone to interrupt.

“You’re not sorry. I heard you say how disgusting it is that our school is allowing Len to stay as a student.”

Said parent squirms upon discovering Kokone has heard her and hides her face with her head in shame. 

“Look,” another parent tries to excuse their behavior. “We really didn’t mean any of that…”

“Stop it, mother!” Miki calls out, standing from the bench. “You didn’t even have the decency to talk to me about Len, but you joined in with the rest of these parents and disrespected Ms. Kagamine without even understanding the situation.”

“M-Miki…”

“If you really are a good parent, you should’ve talked to me and asked how I feel about taking care of Len.”

“I’m sorry, but I heard from other parents, and I assumed you felt the same way as your classmates!”

At this point, as Kokone and Miki stare at the latter’s mother in confusion, some parents opted to take off, not wishing to be even more humiliated by a teenager, and leaving only a few parents left.

“What do you mean, ‘felt the same way as my classmates?’”

“I’m sorry we are behaving the way we are,” one parent comes towards them. “But my son had complained to me endlessly, saying he doesn’t want to help Len because it was too much work.”

“My daughter complained too,” another parent admitted. “She was telling me that Len was often late to class, and it disrupts their learning. She worries if it continues, they won’t learn everyone by the time of their next exam.”

“I have to get going,” another parent states, and the remaining parents leave.

“I’m sorry, Miki,” her mother bows and apologizes before heading off.

~~~

Two weeks pass by, the weather becomes much colder, and class remains the same. Every morning, Kokone, Rin, Piko, and Luo help Len get to class. Every day, students help Len up and down the stairs and bring him his belongings. The students appear so cheerful and eager to help Len every single day.

However, Kokone is now aware that at least a few of those students are being deceitful. 

“I don’t get it,” Kokone sighs while walking with Rin during break. “It’s hard to tell exactly which classmate has been complaining to their parents behind our backs when everyone is just being so nice to Len. It’s almost as if the entire class sans our friends are actually pretending to care.”

“I can’t believe it,” says Rin and she sighs too. “And as long as they keep doing this, Len is going to continue believing they’re doing it because they care.”

“No one has said anything to Len, right?” Kokone asks, only for Rin to shake her head in response.

“Actually, my mom asked Len if he wants to transfer to a school for disabled children,” Rin reveals. “He told her he doesn’t want to go because he wants to stay with us and his friends, also saying everyone is helping him out.”

“I see…”

~~~

_Miku-neechan,_

_Why is the world full of cruel people? Several people in Len’s class is pretending to care, acting so eager to help him out as much as they can, but are complaining and hoping he leaves…_

_Didn’t this same situation happen ten years ago? ___


	18. Hypocrisy and Disrespect

“Tadaima!”

Three sisters entered their home. Kokone took off her shoes enthusiastically and hopped in front of her two older sisters. Lapis took off her shoes and helped steadied Miku so she could take off hers. The three girls were smiling about, having a fun time walking around town at night, even though the weather in December had become chilly. 

“Is this what the school really wants?”

Hearing a concerned voice that came from their mother, the three girls ceased in their eager chatter and happiness. They walked towards the living room, surprised to see the door closed, and they heard more voices from inside.

“Please calm down.”

Miku recognized the voice, belonging to her homeroom teacher.

“Am I wrong!?” Cried Meiko in disbelief. Curious yet suspicious of what was going on, the three continued to eavesdrop.

“I didn’t say that… however, we don’t have any facilities to support the handicapped in our school. I’ve discussed this with the principal. We don’t have any resources to build handicapped facilities because of one student. I’ve also spoken to government officials… it’s difficult for us to make these facilities right away… So… based on these circumstances, she can’t continue studying in our school.”

Lapis felt Miku trembling as she continued to keep her hold on her. Kokone looked up and saw Miku’s face paling in distress, and the conversation continued. 

“I believe there are other schools more suitable for her.”

“The school just wants to kick her out, right?”

Meiko’s voice spoke up.

“She needs help from her friends, but I know she doesn’t take it for granted. She feels bad, and she blames herself for having such disabilities!”

“Please calm down,” they heard their father speak calmly. “You are sounding too serious. Calm down.”

“Whatever it is, I hope that Miku can continue going to school,” Meiko spoke again. “I don’t know if she can stay until she graduates, but we will do our best in not bothering anyone. For now, we want her to continue going to school. She also wants to do that too.”

“Sir,” Kaito spoke next. “I suggest we end our conversation here. Let’s talk about this after we calm down.” 

“Alright,” Miku’s teacher spoke. “However… I don’t want to say this… but the students are tired of looking after Miku. I hope you understand this.”

Footsteps were heard until the door opened, and Miku’s teacher exited the room to encounter the three daughters:

Little sister Kokone who stared at him in disbelief…

Middle schooler Lapis who expressed her anger with her facial expression…

And his student Miku, whose silent tears streamed down her face.

~~~

Lately, the atmosphere in class has been much colder. After the meeting, Kokone had suspected only a few students were lying, but as the weeks passed, Kokone notices the change in atmosphere in the class. Even though she, Piko, and Lui have been most helpful to Len, and while Miki and Gumi helped in the sidelines, less and less students were helping Len out. The cheerful greetings to Len have slowly ceased. 

Then came this morning. Lui and Piko have reassured Kokone that they will help Len on their own, so she sits alone in class, doodling in her notebook. Everyone else has been in class, sitting cheerfully and uncaring of the world.

By the time Len enters the room, the class becomes dead silent, and Kokone notices the faces everyone is making. Those warm-hearted faces made back in September are gone and replaced with distant looks, and faces of annoyance. Kokone couldn’t help but realize that moment, the number of students who are tired of Len is much higher than she had thought. 

When noon comes, Len has packed up, leaving for an early appointment. Kokone, Rin, Lui, and Piko have helped Len take a seat in his wheelchair.

“Do you need help going to the nurse’s office?”

“Do you want company until your mother comes?”

“I’m fine,” Len reassures them. “Just go to class now, and thank you for your help.”

As Len strolls away on his own, the remaining four return to their classrooms. While Rin returns to hers, Lui, Piko, and Kokone quietly enter the classroom, apologize their teacher quickly for entering a little late.

Before Mr. Norasaki could begin his lesson, Rune begins to speak up.

“Sensei, there is something I’d like to discuss with the class.”

“Oh?” With a slight look of surprise, Mr. Norasaki continued. “Okay, go one.” Given permission, Rune stands up and begins to direct her concern to the class.

“I would like to discuss the situation concerning Kagamine Len.”

All at once, everyone turns their focus to her. With everyone sitting silently, Kokone couldn’t stop herself from worrying on what this could be about.

“The problem was discussed at the last PTA meeting,” Rune begins to discuss the issue. “As a class, I feel we should discuss the matter and express on our opinions. I personally feel that Kagamine Len has been a nuisance for our entire class.” Kokone’s hand tightens its hold on her pencil as she continues to listen to Rune.

“I believe it is best to discuss what to do with Len, for everyone’s sake.”

Everyone remains dead silent as Rune faces her teacher.

“Can we continue this conversation?”

Before Mr. Norasaki, who has been uncomfortable with the discussion topic, could answer, another student speaks up.

“If we leave things as is, it is going to be more painful in the future.”

“I feel bad for him,” another states. “But I am tired of class starting late just for him.”

“I have told my mother this so much, and I was so sure she would get Len out of our class due to how outspoken she is… I can’t believe the PTA failed to do that.”

“I’ve thought to myself at times, why do I want to waste my time helping someone who is not important in my life?”

“It’s not like we can ask him to hurry up…”

“I feel so bad for Len… can’t we just give him an extra five or ten minutes?”

“What about the days we have tests?”

“That’s a good point…”

“Utatane-kun, what do you think?” Rune asks him, wanting him to express his opinion. With the attention now on him, Piko slowly stands up and begins to share his response.

“Len has been worrying a lot,” he starts explaining. “He’s been struggling. He’s been trying to do his best. If we all help him, even for a little bit, we won’t be having problems.”

“I heard from my mom that your mother complained that your grades have slipped,” another student points out. “What would you do if you failed this year because of Len?”

“That…”

Without allowing Piko to finish or find the words to express his thoughts, Rune turns to Lui.

“What about you?”

Now being on the spotlight, Lui stands up and begins to speak.

“I always help him out because that’s what friends do… I’m his friend and I always want to help out… even though, sometimes, it’s too hard, but I need to sacrifice my time to help him out.”

“You don’t need to sacrifice your time,” someone says loudly. “If you’re miserable, just dump him!”

Students start chattering again, and Kokone finds the answer to her question.

“We’ve reached our limit now…”

“Can we just dump him in a place for useless people?”

“No matter how much we want to help, it’s just impossible.”

“Okay! Okay!” Mr. Norasaki finally speaks up, having heard enough. “I’ve heard your views on the matter. I will discuss it with his mother.”

“You’re all hypocrites!”

Everyone turns and focuses their attention on her, the usually quiet Kokone.

“To his face, you act like good people and act so nice and kind,” Kokone begins to call them out on their behavior. “Every time he apologizes, you all go ‘oh it’s okay!’ or ‘don’t worry about it,’ but as soon as he is not around, you all are quick to criticize and spread your hate about him. The hate you are all too cowardly to show to him!!”

As Kokone rants, her classmates begin to squirm uncomfortably.

“‘Oh, he’s nothing but a hindrance!’ ‘I hoped he’d be gone after the PTA!’ ‘I’m sick of helping him!’ You all say, but YOU ARE ALL NOTHING BUT SELFISH, LOWLIFE HYPOCRITES!!” Kokone yells at them at the top of her lungs, no longer keeping her composure and holding in her rage.

“Listen, Hatsune-” Mr. Norasaki tries to calm her down, but Kokone stands up harshly, her hands slamming on her desk.

“If you all had a problem with him, then don’t act so friendly! If you want to tell him so badly, ‘you are a burden! You’re bothering me! I’m sick of it!’ then say it to his face instead of being rude to him and lying to his face!!” Kokone continues to scold her classmates. “Len is not an idiot. If you told him this, he’d try to find a way to not be a burden to you guys.”

“Hatsune, I understand what you mean, but-”

Kokone couldn’t refrain herself any longer.

“You (omae) too,” she tells him coldly, uncaring that she has used the informal and impolite version of “you” and further surprising and scaring her classmates.

“Omae?” Forgetting about the bigger issue, Mr. Norasaki couldn’t let go of Kokone’s rude tone. “Using ‘omae’”-

“Why did you let this conversation continue?” Kokone asks him coldly, interrupting him and uncaring that she hurt his fragile feelings. “If you had been honest with him, we wouldn’t even had to discuss this! You’re just allowing everyone to clear a path for you!” 

Everyone, even Mr. Norasaki, are stunned and impaled with Kokone’s words, realizing they made a terrible mistake. 

“If you all had been honest with him, none of this would have happened,” Kokone states, taking a deep breath and calming down. As she turns her head to calm herself, she spots blonde hair through the window and a face shedding silent tears.

“Len…”


	19. Tears and Sorrow

Three girls, one shocked in disbelief, one irritated, and one silently sulking, stood in front of the man who spoke the harsh reality behind their back. Lapis couldn’t hold her frustration in after a few seconds of her sister’s teacher standing before them.

“How could you?” She spoke to him coldly, and Kokone could easily understand how angry her sister was. “Miku is just a high school student. Of course she needs help! But instead of doing that, you complain about her behind her back, you and her classmates!”

Kokone, tiny compared to the three other people in that room, couldn’t keep herself from staring at the man in shock, and she saw his facial expression fall to one of shame.

“Sensei,” Miku spoke slowly and fighting the tears. “I’m sorry,” she told him in a voice that wavered. “I… I know… I’m a burden to others… but… I wanted to be with them.” She took a breath while continuing to keep the tears from falling. “I love going to school… but if I have to leave, I’ll go. I’m sorry…”

No longer having the heart to look at her own teacher, Miku turned and walked off, no longer wanting Lapis’s aide to help her walk. 

“Miku…” Lapis turned, whispering her sister’s name as she stared at her, witnessing Miku walking away in a troubled limp.

“I’m sorry,” her teacher spoke. “I should leave,” and not waiting for Lapis to say anything, he bolted right past her and Kokone, taking his exit from the Hatsune household. Even as the minutes passed, Lapis and Kokone couldn’t find the energy to move from their spots. When twenty minutes had gone by, Meiko finally opened the door to see two of her daughters outside of the living room. 

“Girls?” Meiko began to speak, gaining their attention. “How long were you out here?” When neither girl answered, Meiko could only speculated what happened. “Were you girls…” she never finished her sentence, for Kokone’s reply to her answered her worries.

“Miku-nee is crying.”

“I see,” Meiko whispered. She took a few steps towards the stairs before she turned to her teen daughter. “Lapis, I cooked earlier. Go server yourself and your sister some dinner, please.” Silently, Lapis moved from her spot, and Meiko watched as Lapis nudged Kokone and walked towards the kitchen together. Meiko continued up the stairs, heading straight to the shared bedroom where Lapis and Miku sleep in. 

She hadn’t entered the room yet, but she heard the cries of her daughter, the cries that were silent no more.

“Miku?” Meiko whispered, entering the bedroom. “There’s no need to cry,” she attempted to comfort. “We’re okay, Miku.”

“Do I,” Miku began to speak before she sobbed again, not finishing her sentence quickly. Her voice was muffled as she spoke through the pillow, but Meiko could hear her well. “Do I have to quit school?” She finally let the question out, and she moved her head out of the pillow. “I was a burden to everyone, and I felt it. I’m so sorry.” As Miku took a breath, Meiko nodded with a solemn face. “Why can’t I be with my classmates? Even if it’s for a short period of time, I would like to be with them.” Slowly, Miku sat herself up, and Meiko saw her daughter’s face, wet with her tears.

“I saw them every day,” Miku continued. “Why couldn’t they tell me directly? Why couldn’t they say I was annoying them, was a burden to them, anything?”

“Well,” Meiko started speaking. “Your teacher was afraid he would hurt your feelings if he had told you directly. He said you have been working hard,” she continued, her hand gently rubbing her daughter’s. “Your friends care about you too. SeeU and Zunko had never seen you as a bother. They both had told me before, they had learned a lot from you. You are here because of your friends. They became strong thanks to you.”

As she spoke, Meiko’s hands moved up to grab Miku’s shoulders. Although she was listening, Miku couldn’t stop her tears from falling, but her sobbing had lessened.

“Miku, we need to stay strong for the next challenge that comes. We are doing good right now. Let’s keep it up,” Meiko finished before holding her daughter in an embrace. In their moment, Miku’s tears continued to fall. Even Meiko’s words wouldn’t comfort her completely, but she appreciated the effort.

~~~

“Len…”

She says only a name, but it’s a name that quickly frightens her classmates. As soon as Kokone whispers that name, the rest of the class and their teacher turn to the door where Kokone has been staring at, and they see a familiar face, a masculine face with blonde hair, a quivered mouth and solemn blue eyes.

“It’s him,” one whispers.

“Oh no,” another gasps.

“He must have heard us…”

Len stands there for a few more seconds before opening the door and pasting a smile one his face, a smile Kokone can easily see as a facade to his mood.

“I just left a notebook here,” he explains. “I’ll be out as soon as I get it,” he tells his classmates as he limps his way to his desk. His long, boney fingers grab the notebook from inside, and he clumsily walks out of the classroom. He doesn’t bother to close the classroom door.

The room is uncomfortably quiet. Kokone could guess the things that go on in her classmates’ mind. She could imagine that they’re either resenting themselves for how they feel… or they feel bad for getting caught expressing their feelings regarding the situation. Regardless of what they were thinking, Kokone could only think about the boy who seemingly heard everything. She can only think about how he is feeling, and her mind goes back ten years, when she, at age five, sees her sister crying after they overhear her teacher revealing the true feelings of her classmates. 

Without a second thought, after a good minute has gone by, Kokone doesn’t hesitate to rush out of her classroom, leaving her classmates to lament on their actions. Kokone doesn’t have time for them. She doesn’t have time for her friends. She doesn’t have time for school. 

She can only think of the feelings of her former bully, a boy who always acts tough, but she can see he is broken inside. She can see he has been broken before this illness came along months ago. 

His family has damaged him, and as far as Kokone can speculate, it seems as if Rune has contributed to his cold and brutal personality.

By the top of the staircase, as soon as she sees him, Kokone ceases her running and walks up to him slowly. Len hasn’t taken a step down the stairs yet, and when he sees her, she finds herself staring into emotionless eyes. Very briefly, she wonders what emotion Len can see when he stares into her pink orbs. 

Could he tell she is angry because of her classmates?

 

Could he see she’s sad because of how things had become?

Or… could he see that she’s as broken as he is?

“I’ll help you,” she finally speaks after seconds of silence between the two. She walks towards him, standing right before the stairs. Extending her arm, she looks at him with a solemn face, and without a single word, Len wraps his arm around her. Slowly, they take a step down the stairs, and they go down in silence. 

It will soon be a year passed since Miku had died, Kokone recalls, and she’s wonders what could’ve happened had Miku not gotten the disease. She wonders, would she have helped Len the same way had her sister not gain this disease? Would Kokone really have cared for Len this much? Would she have notice the warning signs from the beginning had it not been for Miku?

She never notice she has gone down to the first floor until his chair comes to her sight. From here, she doesn’t need to support him anymore, but even when Len takes a seat, Kokone doesn’t leave. Without a second thought, her hands grab the handles of the wheelchair, and she pushes it, with him on it. As they go near the school exit, Kokone notices him taking off his coat and holding it up towards her.

“Wear it,” he tells her with a voice lacking emotion. 

“I’m fine,” she replies.

“No you’re not. You’re going to get sick,” he states. “You’re not wearing a coat or scarf or anything. Your socks don’t even cover your legs. Please, wear this,” he commands, and she obliges, accepting the coat and putting it on herself. She pushes the wheelchair again and continues to push ahead until they are both a good distance away from the school. Reaching the place where Lily intends to pick Len up from, the two remain in silence for a few minutes until he finally speaks.

“You’re weird.”

A simple phrase, and yet, she understands exactly what he’s referring to.

“I know.”

Through the school year, Kokone has always been aware that she is a bit of a puzzle. Most of her classmates have only selfish concerns.

“I need to be the best.”

“I need a lot of friends.”

“I need to be popular.”

Not once has Kokone cared about what she wants out of her school life. She never thinks for herself.

She only lives to live the life her sister was deprived of.

“I guess,” he continues to speak. “I guess I had it coming.”

“No,” Kokone mutters. “It doesn’t matter what you did. No one wants what you have. No one should ever have what you have.”

“It doesn’t matter,” he goes on. “Hiding among the students who looked up to me, and even I can’t understand why I was so well liked, there were students who resented me. They wanted me gone. They wanted me dead.” 

“They don’t know what you been through.”

“You know? I’m sure you know.”

“About him?”

“Yeah.”

“... yeah.”

At last, Len intakes a breath, sighing a bit. 

“It hurt,” he begins to speak about it. “I always looked up to him. He always wrote letters to me after mom kicked him out. He always spoke badly about mom while glorifying himself, even though he never took the time to visit me. Despite that, I wanted so badly to believe he was perfect. Even if he broke his promises to take me out and to spend some time with me, I still believed he was perfect, until it happened.”

“I’m sorry.”

“It’s fine,” he continues. “It made me realize just how good my mom is. Even though she’s a bit gullible and has her own fair share of troubles, I couldn’t be mad at her anymore. Even though she had paid more attention to her… that girl.”

“Huh?”

“I never wanted to speak about her again,” he tells her. “That girl in our classroom,” he sighs. “I don’t need to ask if you get it. You’re not stupid. I know you know who I’m talking about.”

“I know,” Kokone answers. “She told me things that I find out were false by Luo.”

“Luo?”

When he sees her nod her head in confirmation, he sighs.

“Maybe I was wrong about Luo.”

“Huh?”

“It’s nothing,” he sighs. “I’ll tell you another time… or if you see her again, she can tell you. I don’t mind, really.”

“She broke her promise,” Kokone tells him, shifting the subject back to the aforementioned girl.

“She always does.”

“She told your mother she’d keep it a secret.”

“My mother believes she can do no wrong,” he sighs. “It’s all because she’s an orphan with a strict grandmother who spanks her if she ever misses a perfect test score by one point. My mom thinks she’s a sad little girl who lost her parents tragically and needs a parent figure who won’t harm her like her grandmother does. Even if I tell her, ‘Hey, she’s hurting Rin’ or “she did this bad thing to me,’ my mother would’ve never believed. It’s all because we used to be such good friends in the past.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Enough about her,” he whispers. “Why do you still help me?” He asks abruptly, shifting the subject again. “What is it about me that makes you want to help me? Don’t answer that with anything concerning my disease or your sister.”

“Then,” she begins to tell her answer. “It’d had to be, because Rin came to me for help.”

“Of course,” he sighs for the umpteenth time. “I told you before, I wouldn’t forgive you if Rin ever gets hurt,” he continues. “Even though she was born first, I want to protect her with my life. She has gone through so much thanks to-” 

Very abruptly, his fit of violent coughs takes over, and Kokone bends down to him, her hands massaging his shoulders and rubbing his back.

“It’s okay,” she tells him. “Your mom is coming soon. I’ll come with you-”

“No!” He yells through his coughs. “You’ve done enough! Please! Think about yourself! Be selfish! Live your life the way you want to live! Don’t burden yourself for me, please… just please.”

At last, Kokone spots a single drop roll by his cheek.

“If anything happens to Rin, I wouldn’t forgive the one who gives her pain… but if anything happens to you… that girl would do something to you, and she definitely will because of today.”

“I’m okay-”

“Stop,” he tells her. “You always say that. How can you say that. Your sister… she was just gone by the time you started school. How? How can you keep a smile on your face and say everything is okay?”

Silence comes briefly before he continues again.

“Rin may have told me about the book. The book about your sister, a book she wrote that came out four years ago, right after she lost the use of her hands,” he explains. “Rin told me, your sister wrote about how much you look up to her and defended her and mimicked her… but, what about the things you enjoyed doing as a child? Rin said you love to draw, but I haven’t seen you draw anything this year. She said you were athletic, but you don’t play any sports, and I’ve seen you hiding in gym. Rin said your sister described your smiles to be full of spirit and energy, but when I look at your smile… I can see only sadness, as if… you can’t really accept what happened to her.”

At last, Kokone falls behind his wheelchair, her hands clutching the handles tightly. Her body shakes, and she tries to silence herself, but her breathing becomes hitched and she knows he can hear.

“It’s okay,” he whispers, and she hears his voice breaking as he continues. “It’s okay… I messed up and made it worse for you… you really should have left me alone instead of helping me. You shouldn’t have… even if my sister had come to you, you should have refused. Even if your sister had this same illness, you should have refused. You should have been like everyone else: minding your business, badmouthing me, saying I got my comeuppance, but you stayed… you threw yourself away for me… why?” At last, Kokone hears him breaking. “Why!?” He cries out. “I was fine taking all the suffering! I was fine accepting my fate as is! I didn’t need someone to spare themselves for me, especially someone who really doesn’t need to be there for me because I hurt you! I harmed you! I was about to hit you because I was so god damn afraid you would hurt my sister! Even then…. You stayed. You stayed by my side…”

He couldn’t speak anymore, for his shell cracked and his tears fall violently. Kokone couldn’t do anything expect sit there and allow her silent tears to fall.

~~~

Miku-nee,

Should I have really ignored him like everyone expected me to? Would it have been best for me?

Also, Miku… say, if you never had this disease, say if you were never ill, you’d still be here, right? You would be smiling. You would pursue your dream job. You would have all your friends with you. You would be happy.

But… If you never had this disease, would I still meet Len and stay with him?


	20. Truth and Loss

Five days had gone by. Miku rarely left her bed. It wasn’t due to how weak she was becoming physically. It wasn’t because of how hard it was to walk either.

Miku just didn’t have the heart to leave her bed for days. 

Meiko decided to not force her daughter to go school after the meeting that occurred nights ago. Kaito requested the children to not disturb her and if anything, to find a way to make her smile. As she had been away in her room for days, her four siblings periodically came to see her. Kyo would tell Miku stories of his daily adventures with his friends. Lapis would lie down with Miku and read a magazine with her. Kiyoteru would clean her room up as well as bringing her food. Kokone would give Miku a drawing she did. 

Despite all the comfort she gained from her family, Miku couldn’t bring herself to forget the pain she received from that night.

“Am I really that much of a nuisance?”

“Do I ruin everyone’s mood?”

Another morning came, and Miku continued to have those thoughts whirl around her head. She didn’t bother to get out of bed again, so she remained under her blankets as she heard Lapis climb down and dress herself for school. Miku remained snuggling, and even after Lapis left, Miku couldn’t bring herself to leave her bed. She continued to lie down, feeling content with the warmth of her blankets as the chilly weather made the room feel rather cold. Not too long after Lapis left, Miku heard footsteps enter her bedroom.

“Miku?” Meiko spoke. “Do you want to get up?” Very weakly, Miku shook her head. “Alrighty, then at least sit up and greet your guests.”

“Huh?”

Miku turned her body to see her mother, only to see three more familiar faces.

“Miku! How are you feeling?” Zunko asked sweetly.

“Miku, we missed you,” SeeU admitted.

“I heard what happened,” Yukari told her. “Had I known your classmates were acting like this, I would’ve beaten them up sooner.” 

“Every...one.” As it became increasingly difficult to speak, Miku’s response came slower than it would have been. 

“You don’t need to talk,” SeeU spoke up. “Don’t force yourself if you don’t want to get out of bed now, but I really miss you,” she confessed.

“I want to go to school with you again,” Zunko admitted.

“It’s okay if you have to transfer,” Yukari told her. “But before you go, at least walk to school with us once more.”

Miku’s emotions had been berserk since she first noticed her condition was worsening with no cure in sight. For months, she had been prone to crying far more commonly than before, and as soon as her friends admitted their feelings, she couldn’t stop herself from bawling. Meiko wrapped her arms around her, allowing her daughter to shed tears on her shirt.

“Go to school, Miku,” Meiko told her lovingly. “Your friends are here to take you.”

As soon as the tears stopped flowing, her friends worked together to help Miku dress up for school. Zunko and SeeU had Miku dressed up, and Yukari quickly made lunch with Meiko’s help. As soon as Miku was dressed and ready for school, Meiko warmed up her car, giving the four girls a ride to school.

Although it was only a fifteen minute drive, Miku felt it lasted an eternity. Although she enjoyed the warmth of her friends with her, her mind continued to whirl around freely. Perhaps they noticed what had been bothering her, for they all continued to spoke to her. Even through the conversations that felt so lighthearted and sweet, Miku couldn’t stop thinking of what were to happen if she returned.

“Oh, she’s back…”  
“Go away…”  
“You’re a nuisance!”  
“You’re not wanted here!”

Her mind swirled with possibilities of rude remarks made towards her or worse, behind her back. Miku couldn’t break the dark feelings away up until she reached her school. As soon as they got out of the car, Meiko drove off, but not before thanking Miku’s friends for their kindness. Yukari, Zunko, and SeeU remained by Miku’s side, helping her with putting her shoes on and taking her upstairs to her class. Yukari departed as soon as they reached the second floor, leaving Zunko and SeeU to take Miku to their classroom. As soon as they reached the door, the class was lively with chatter, but when SeeU opened it and took a step inside with Miku, the chatter ceased.

Eyes were on her. Miku shifted uncomfortably, feeling they were thinking what she expected them to think. It wasn’t long until the silence finally broke in the classroom.

“Hatsune-san, I’m sorry.”

Miku’s head shot back up in surprise, and more voices rose up.

“I’m sorry too.”

“I should’ve told you how I truly felt instead of speaking behind your back!”

“I was being selfish…”

The apologies continued to come forth, and Miku noticed how her classmates were looking downwards, a few of them with tears in their eyes.

“We were being selfish…” One spoke.

“We weren’t being considerate on how hard this is for you too.”

“It’s okay if you don’t forgive us.”

“I won’t complain anymore.”

The apologies kept going, and Miku couldn’t keep together as tears spilled in her eyes again. Noticing she was going to break again, SeeU pulled Miku in for a hug, allowing the latter to cry freely, tears staining the former’s jacket. Miku’s tears continued to fall as she felt warmth around her.

When she opened her eyes, she found herself surrounded by twenty other students, all of them providing their warm regrets to her.

~~~

“Kokone-chan, I need to stay home today. Len isn’t feeling well and mom needs to work. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Kokone stares at her phone while standing in front of her school. She has just received the message from Rin. Her fingers type quickly as she gives her answer.

“If you want, I’ll stop by and visit after school. Tell Len to feel better.”

‘Does Rin know what happened yesterday?’ Kokone wonders while placing her phone back in her pocket. She enters the building and opens her shoe locker, taking out her school shoes and taking off the shoes she’s wearing. After putting on her school shoes, she kneels down to grab her home shoes, placing them in her locker when she notices an unfamiliar object inside. Her fingers went in, feeling a piece of paper folded up, and she takes it out, unfolding it.

“As soon as you put your stuff away in the classroom, please meet us on the roof”

‘Huh?’

Her thoughts on what the note could be about are quickly cut short as her phone vibrates in her pocket. Kokone takes her phone out to read another text from Rin.

“Len says he’s not feeling good enough for company today. To be honest, I think something is bothering him… but he won’t tell me anything! ><”

‘Of course… he’s not going to tell her what happened…’ Kokone sighs as she replies to her.

“That’s fine. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Placing her phone back in her jacket, Kokone goes up to her classroom, ignoring the whispers that come as she went by. 

“Did you hear what happened yesterday in that classroom?”

She’s aware people were looking at her, but only three questions are on her mind.

“She stood up for him… she said everyone in her class was a hypocrite…”

Who wrote the note to her?

“Len used to bully her. Why is she on his side?”

Why does this mystery person need to see her?

“He’s going to die anyways. It’s punishment for his bad behavior… why is she defending him?”

What is Len thinking right now?

When she reaches her door, Kokone hears the chatter going on in her classroom. Leisure talks could be heard, talks of how cold the weather is, what quizzes are coming up, clubs to tend to, etc. Kokone doesn’t waste time as her hand reaches the handle, and she slides the door open. Almost immediately, the conversations die as everyone notices her walking into the classroom.

No one bothers to utter a single word, or so Kokone first assumes. As she places her back on her desks, she notices the facial reactions of her classmates and quickly read fear in their eyes. Are they perhaps scared to say anything at all? Kokone couldn’t be bothered. Placing her school books in her desk, she walks out of the classroom, keeping her jacket on as she’ll be going back outside. 

Once more, Kokone ignores the whispers of the students, heading straight to the roof. Kokone has never cared about how others saw her, and now isn’t the time to care. 

Kokone pushes the door open, and waiting for her on the roof are two familiar boys.

“Kokone, Lui and I need to confess something to you,” Piko immediately speaks as Kokone arrives. 

“First though,” Lui speaks next. “Thank you for what you said yesterday.”

“You’re really brave,” Piko says next, not giving Kokone the chance to speak. “When the world is against one person, you’re the one to speak up. It’s like you don’t even care that you’re against the world.”

“It fine,” Kokone answers, her voice slightly quiet. “I’ve always been against the world on my own. I’ve been fighting for ten years,” she admits, recalling the years of standing up for her dead sister. 

“I see. I heard what is happening to Len happened to your sister,” Lui comments. “I heard she…” Although he doesn’t finish his sentence, Kokone knows what the sentence would end with.

“Kokone, I just want to say,” Piko begins to tell her. “It’s our fault Len has been giving you a hard time at the beginning of the school year.” Kokone’s eyes widen in confusion, but she doesn’t say anything, allowing him to continue. “After we saw Len beating people up in middle school, we befriended him because we thought it was cool,” he sighed. “We weren’t the nicest people, and I’ll admit that I’m currently ashamed of my actions. When Len snapped at you for that accident on the first day of school, he was actually going to go and apologize to you.”

“What?”

“Well, even though Len tends to fight people, he doesn’t fight them without a reason. He always keep people away from Rin, not wanting anyone to hurt her. I knew that very well, so Lui and I both thought it would be funny if we told Len that you would be close to Rin if he didn’t mess with you. It was just one little lie, and we thought it’d be funny to see him mess with you.”

“Yeah,” Lui says next. “We never thought you would actually befriend Rin, and when it happened, Len snapped a bit.”

“I see,” Kokone speaks quietly. 

‘Everything he did was to protect his sister…’

“Piko,” Kokone begins to talk. “Do you know why Len is very protective of her? Rin hasn’t told me anything, and I don’t want to intrude, but I’m now thinking something… something really bad must have happened…”

“Well,” Piko begins to answer. “As far as I know, back in middle school, Len had been attacking people because they were bullying Rin. I don’t remember how it all began, but there was a rumor spreading around her, and Len hated the rumors spreading. He actively seeked out every person saying something about her, and as soon as Rin was alone, he kept it that way.”

“A rumor?” 

The bell rings, and with no words left, the three return inside the building, walking to their class. 

~~~

Class drags on, and Kokone has no motivation to pay attention. At the same time, it seems like her teacher couldn’t look at her in the eyes either after yesterday’s incident. Kokone’s hand, holding a pencil, creates multiple doodles on her pencil. In her mind, she couldn’t stop wondering what happened in the past and why it has driven Len to go through desperate measures to protect his sister. The next many minutes, Kokone continues to ponder, reflecting back to the start of the school year, wondering if there has been any clue to what could happen.

Len tried to harm her during the summer…

Len threatened her to not hurt Rin after she gains his trust…

Rune getting everyone against him…

“She’s not getting revenge on him.”

Kokone suddenly recalls her words.

“Now that she’s learned of his disease, she’s using it to destroy him.”

As soon as the bell rings, signally the beginning of break time, Kokone quickly rushes out of her chair, running out of the classroom and finding her.

‘She knows! She was there!’

She doesn’t have to search or run for long as she immediately spots her black, pigtailed hair in the crowd of students.

“Luo-san!”

Hearing her name, Tianyi turns around, and Kokone sees her face change to one of surprise as she stops in front of her. 

“I need to talk to you about something,” Kokone tells her. 

“Oh,” Tianyi gives a small smile. “Okay.” 

~~~

With the weather being too cold, the two girls aren’t willing to go outside to talk. With not much a choice for where to talk as they desire privacy, they settle for the floor next to the roof doors. Kokone and Tianyi both have their lunch boxes so they can eat while discussing the topic.

“You went to the same middle school as Len and Rin, right?” Kokone asks.

“Yep,” Tianyi nods and chews her food.

“Then you know why Len is protecting Rin to the point of harming others?”

“You want to know what happened, huh?” Tianyi asks her. As soon as Kokone nods, Tianyi places her box down on the floor. She sits on her knees in front of Kokone as she looks into her pink eyes. 

 

“This will take a while to explain,” Tianyi begins, and Kokone notices her normally sweet voice has become serious. “But I used to be friends with Rin and Len since I first moved here from Hong Kong seven years ago.”

“I see,” Kokone replies, and she stops speaking, allowing Tianyi to continue.

“When I moved here, Rin was the very first person to speak to me,” Tianyi explains. “When my classmates were bullying me for being Chinese, Rin was always by my side, and eventually, I befriend Len and Rune as a result.”

“Rune?”

“Yes,” Tianyi answers. “We were all best friends in the past. Even though Len had his troubles with his mother because of his parents’ divorce, we were all a happy group of friends. I’m sure you learned about what happened to his father.” When Kokone nodding, confirming she knows, Tianyi continues. “When the news came, Len broke down. He always looked up to him, and he felt horrible for treating his mother badly. That was when Rune stepped in and became a hero… or so we all thought.”

Kokone’s eyes widen in curiosity, realizing things had gone downhill afterwards.

“In the last few months of sixth grade, Rune’s comfort cheered Len up so much that he eventually fell for her. By the time we graduated from elementary school, Rune and Len became a couple. Naturally, Rin and I were very happy for them as they were our closest friends.” Tianyi sighs deeply before continuing. “The first summer break of middle school, I went out shopping for my parents,” she continues speaking, and Kokone can tell that Tianyi is not only telling her the events of their past, but also reliving the moment as she narrates her the details. “While shopping, I saw her… I saw Rune kissing a boy, and it wasn’t Len.”

“What?”

To say she’s surprised is an understatement, and the next line Tianyi says drove her further to shock.

“Rune was kissing Rin’s boyfriend at the time.”

Tianyi sighs before she continues.

“Rune saw me there, and she came to me. ‘Don’t tell anyone,’ she repeatedly told me, and then she came to me with a threat. ‘It’s my word against yours, and if you dare tell anyone, you’re dead.’” Tianyi recites from memory. “I foolishly believed her and never told anyone… that’s the biggest mistake I ever made.”

At this point, Kokone couldn’t say anything or even react. She remains silent, allowing Tianyi to continue.

“The last day of summer break, Rin called me, and she was crying heavily. I didn’t know what happened, but she gave me her location, and I ran. I ran, worried about her and hoping it wasn’t something terrible… when I found her, she was alone in a huge field with grass reaching up to my thighs. She was hidden in the field, and when I finally found her… her clothes were either torn or lying in the field.”

“You mean…”

Kokone couldn’t finish her sentence, but Tianyi nods solemnly.

“Rin was taken to the hospital, and her mother was worried. Len wanted to beat up the men who hurt her… Rune didn’t come to the hospital to visit. The following day, their mother had contacted the school staff, so they knew what was happening, and it was promised to not tell the students at all. However… a rumor spread about Rin.”

‘The rumor,’ Kokone recalls silently. ‘Piko said the same thing.’

“The rumor concerned what happened to Rin, but… it was twisted around. Word spread that Rin paid to make older men happy, if you know what I mean.” Tianyi forces a smile before continuing. “Obviously, Len was really mad. The teachers found out too and a few slipped out on what really happened… but you know, teenagers! They just want to hear what they want to hear, and they rather hear a sweet, straight-A student was willing to satisfy older men instead of several guys ganging up on her and taking away her innocence.” Another laugh is forced upon her face along with a fake chuckle. “Even better, as soon as the rumors went all over, Rune dumped him.”

Kokone notices how much Tianyi is forcing a smile while tightly clutching her skirt. Kokone takes note of Tianyi’s knuckles slowly turning whiter as she continues. 

“Rune told Len that she couldn’t believe that Rin would do all that, acting like she believed the rumors, so she dumped him. The next day, Rune was kissing Rin’s boyfriend. He dumped her because he believed the rumors. When Len saw them dating, he realized it all along, but it was too late…”

The time passes in silence, with her unable to say anything. She couldn’t mutter a word. Her mind has been left blank.

~~~

…  
…  
…  
…  
…  
…  
…  
… Miku-nee…  
…  
…  
…  
…   
Why do people like Rune exist?


	21. Tears of Sorrow

Do you want to go…

…

I don’t want to go but…

…

Whatever you decide to do…

Don’t ever regret it.

Everyone stood together. A group of students, in the entrance of their school building, tried their best to stay strong, but some tears had fallen. Miku tried her best as well, giving her farewells to her classmates.

“SeeU,” Miku spoke, but her voice wavered. “Zunko… thank you both so much….. Always looking out for me.” Very quietly, SeeU and Zunko nodded, trying not to let their tears loose as Miku continued. 

“Everyone…. Thank you so…. Very happy.”

As she spoke, everyone could hear how difficult her voice was coming out, realizing that her voice was losing its strength to speak. 

“Miku,” SeeU started talking. “Before I came here, I didn’t have a single friend, and you were always by my side… thank you so much.”

“You’re strong, Miku,” Zunko spoke next. “I really admire you…”

“Miku, we’re very sorry we couldn’t do much for you,” a student spoke out, and Miku shook her head.

“You all helped,” she reassured them.

“Miku,” SeeU whispered, yet her quiet voice could be heard. “I want you to stay…”

“I do too,” Miku replied. “I can’t…. No choice, I must go.”

As soon as she said it, another student joined behind, and Miku saw her.

“Yukari!”

Yukari ran up to Miku, standing in front of the group of students as Yukari embraced her in a hug.

“Be well, Miku,” Yukari whispered. “Don’t overwork yourself.” She released her from the hug and took a silent step back, and Miku’s eyes fell onto the entire group once more. 

“Take care.”

The tears finally fell, and Miku turned away, walking further from her school. Her mother opened the car door, allowing Miku to step inside. As soon as she closed the door, Meiko looked up and took a silent glance at the school, and she suddenly knocked on the car window.

“Miku!”

In response, Miku quietly rolled down the window, and she couldn’t bring herself to look at the building she had attended, not wanting to break.

“Look!”

Realizing she had to, Miku took a small glance, only to continue to stare at it.

All the windows were wide open, and in every class, students extended their arms out, giving Miku the friendly waves and smiling as they stare at her. 

“Take care, Hatsune.”  
“Do your best!”

As Meiko entered the car, Miku returned the wave as her tears fell. As Meiko drove away, Miku continued to wave and look back at her school before it disappeared, out of her sight for the rest of her life.

~~~

Winter break is fast approaching, yet there has been no sign of Len. A full week passes, and the class sits in uncomfortable silence. They still haven’t forgotten that afternoon, yet they refused to speak of it, unwilling to open the wounds of that day. Even Rune wouldn’t bring it up ever. 

Rin hasn’t shown up in school either, and she hasn’t messaged Kokone as often as she used to. The last message sent to Kokone is a simple “We are visiting another school.” 

Kokone never asked because she knows the outcome, which is finally confirmed a week after the incident occurred when her homeroom teacher enters the classroom with a shaken sigh.

“Class,” he begins to speak. “I received news regarding Kagamine Len.” As soon as they hear him, the students look up at him with anxious faces. 

“Kagamine Len is transferring to another school and will no longer attend our class.”

The students have no time to register this fact as their teacher suddenly begin class.

“Now, please open your textbooks.”

~~~

As soon as the bell rings for the end of the day, Kokone doesn’t waste time getting out of her classroom. The rest of her classmates have no energy to move from the chairs, and they rarely have moved the entire day. Piko and Lui remain seated, unwilling to move themselves, and even Miki and Gumi couldn’t forget the news.

Kokone rushes to her locker, quickly putting on her outdoor shoes, and sloppily placing her school shoes inside, Kokone rushes out of school. She doesn’t look back. Kokone keeps running ahead, needing to see them and needing to talk to them.

Twenty minutes of running, and she wouldn’t stop. She refused to rest until she got there. When she reaches the tall building with many apartments, Kokone never takes a break, running up the stairs until finally, she reaches their apartment door.

Panting heavily, Kokone takes her chance to breathe before knocking loudly. She regulates her breathing until the door opens in front of her.

“Kokone?”

“Rin, is Len home?” She quickly asks. 

“Yeah, please come inside,” Rin welcomes her inside, and Kokone rushes inside, quickly dropping her bag and taking off her coat and shoes. Len sits quietly in his living room, looking out the window, and his eyes widen as he sees her in his home.

“Kokone?”

She collapses from the chair, still catching her breath after running nonstop.

“Kokone, did you run all the way over here without stopping?” Rin notices Kokone’s pale face tainted with a pink color. 

“Sorry,” Kokone begins to talk. “There was something I wanted to know before you leave,” she looks into his blue eyes. “But only if you’re willing to tell me.”

“Kokone?”

Len positions his body on the couch, no longer looking out to the sky and now facing her.

“You told me last week,” Kokone begins to speak to him. “That you’ll protect Rin no matter what.”

“Huh?”

Rin remains in the room, standing rather awkwardly as Kokone continues to talk to him.

“Is that why you ceased contact with Luo?”

Her blue eyes widen, and Len answers quietly with a nod.

“I was afraid… after what that girl did to Rin, I was afraid… Did Luo tell you…?”

He never finishes his sentence and doesn’t have to, for Kokone nods in response.

“What’s going on?”

The three teenagers turn their attention to the single adult who comes to the scene. Taking one look at her face, they realize the twin’s mother may have heard their conversation.

“Did Rune do something?” Lily asks, and without waiting for the twins to answer, Kokone releases her self control.

“Ms. Kagamine, Rune broke her promise to you.”

“What?”

“O-oh, mom! It’s nothing!” Rin attempts to reassure her mother, but Kokone continues.

“Before summer break ended, Rune promised you she wouldn’t tell anyone about Len’s disease, and the first thing she did when returning to school was telling everyone about it! She told everyone and encouraged them to look down on Rin and Len for it!”

The door opens, and another teen enters, when Lily’s face becomes tainted in shock.

“Rune did what!?”

Lily quickly turns her attention to Rune, who stands there with a face of shock and horror.

“Rune, is this true?” Without even giving her the chance to answer, Lily turns to face her son. “Len, when you said you got tired of going to school, was it because of your classmates?” He nods his head in confirmation before deciding to speak.

“I’m sorry, mother,” Len tells her. “I’ve been dishonest for a long time.”

“Len?”

Both Rin and Kokone look at him with puzzled faces before he continues.

“I always tell you that I hang out with Rune and all, but in reality, I haven’t spoken to her in three years, and I never wanted to see her again. However, I didn’t know how to say it because you’re so fond of her, and I know you love her so much because Rin and I… we’re not…”

“Len…”

“But, mother, I stopped talking to Rune after she hurt Rin.”

“Len!” Rin cries out. “It’s okay! Mom doesn’t need to know!”

“Rin?” Lily turns to her, then to Rune and back to her own daughter. “Rin, what did Rune do to you.”

“It was nothing!” Rune tries to intervene, but Kokone interrupts.

“You stay out of this!”

“Rin?”

“Mom,” Rin looks down before finally deciding to come closer to her mother, her mouth next to her ear as she explains it. Kokone sits and looks at Lily’s facial expression, watching it turn from confusion to shock.

“She did that…” Lily whispers in response, unsure of what to say.

“Lily, whatever Rin said, I didn’t do it!” Rune speaks up, panic laced in her voice.

“Quiet, Rune!” Kokone speaks, but Rune cuts her off.

“They’re lying, Lily! All of them!”

“Then you better have a good explanation for how the entire school knows of my disease!” Len yells at her. “Get the hell out of my house!”

“You can’t kick me out!” Rune screams as her body shakes, her world slowly crumbling. “Only Lily can kick me out, you stupid crippled!”

“Don’t talk to my son that way!!”

Silence strikes the room as Lily looks at Rune in an angry, threatening glare.

“Anri, get the hell out of my house,” Lily speaks coldly to her. 

“But-”

“Get out!!” Lily’s voice leaves even her own children to shrink in fear as she chases Rune out of her apartment. “I don’t ever want to see you again, and don’t ever hurt my children!”

Almost as quickly as Lily’s words echo in the room, Rune suddenly disappears from the apartment, as the door closes fiercely. Lily’s angry breaths escapes her, and she turns her attention to her two children and their classmate and friend.

“Rin… Len…” Lily speaks in a quiet tone, nearly resembling a whisper. “I’m sorry… I’m so sorry…” Kokone notices her fallen facial expression, reading the regret in her eyes. “I should have known… I should have… Yet I…”

“It’s okay, mom,” Rin tells her. “We just didn’t want to upset you since you…. Well…”

“Kokone,” Lily interrupts her daughter and turns her attention to the brunette. “I want to speak to my children alone. It isn’t that I want to kick you out, it’s just-”

“It’s okay,” Kokone nods, standing up from the couch. “I want to drop their presents off before I leave, if that’s okay.”

“Presents?” Rin questions, while Lily nods with a smile.

“Go ahead, Kokone,” Lily tells her.

“Ever since Rin sent me that message, I knew it was going to be time for Len to leave,” Kokone explains as she goes to get her school bag. “I wasn’t sure if you guys would ever come back, but I wanted to at least give them to you before it happened.” Grabbing her bag, Kokone opens it and pulls out a small box wrapped in orange paper. “This is for you, Rin,” Kokone tells her as she hands the present to her blonde girl.

“Oh, Kokone!” Rin gapes at the present while Kokone takes out a similar shaped present covered in yellow wrapping paper.

“And this is for Len,” Kokone says as she walks towards him, handing the present to him. 

“I didn’t get to buy a present for you,” Rin sighs meekly.

“You didn’t have to,” Len stares at his present in disbelief.

“I’ll get going now,” Kokone bows. “Take care, you two.” Without giving them the chance to speak, Kokone rushes out of their home, grabbing her shoes, bag, and coat as she steps outside.

~~~

Miku-neechan,

Anri Rune has been caught, so this should be the last time she causes trouble. I feel bad for Lily though… and Rin and Len too, but I’m sure this will strengthen their bond as a family.

I was also able to give them their birthday presents in time. I hope they like it. I gave Rin a manga I found and it reminded me of her.

I gave Len your diary.

Not the published print of your writtened entries.

Your true diary that you gave me before you left.


	22. A New Beginning

A new life began for her. Miku was awake earlier than usual and she was writing away in her journal.

“It’s a new place,” she wrote. “It’s fine so far, but I can’t help but wish to return how things were before. Even then, I already accepted that it won’t ever be the same again. I need to do my best in my new school.”

The clock rang, waking her roommates up, and Miku quietly turned off the alarm. Her roommates sat up slowly, and one of them noticed Miku sitting quietly in the corner where the writing desk stood.

“You’re already up,” Cul mumbled as she woke up. Miku closed her diary, and grabbing it, she limped her way to her bed. Cul stood up from her bed and began to clean up. The other two roommates sat up and began their day as well. 

“Hatsune-san,” Cul limped to Miku. “You’re too slow, so tomorrow, only take care of the towels. I’ll take care of the rest, okay?”

Miku stood silently, taking in everything Cul said.

“Yeah.”

“Thank you.”

xxx

Miku wasn’t sure if she liked her new school. She tried to adjust but she found herself longing for the past, before her illness ever happened. She desired to return to the days where everything wasn’t complicated, and she was in the comfort of her home. Her mother, Meiko, would be cooking dinner. Her father, Kaito, would tell a weak joke that would have her laughing. Her siblings were playing with her. Miku wanted desperately to see them again, to see Lapis, Kiyoteru, Kyo, and Kokone, to seem them all and play again.

But she knew those days would never come.

Her school was strict on being punctual. The headmistress Sachiko had no tolerance for those who come late, thus enforcing the rules to Miku to always be punctual and never delay. Miku was still capable of walking, even very weakly, thus Sachiko had told her to continue walking and not rely on her wheelchair until it was too hard to continue.

Yet Miku wanted to give up. She missed home. She missed her family. She walked down the hallway, trying to hide the tears, and in her weak state, she collapsed to the floor, not wanting to stand. Miku lied down, allowing her tears to flow softly as she hugged the floor beneath her.

“Miss Hatsune.”

Miku’s crying ceased as she heard her voice next to her.

“Please stand.”

A simple command was given, but it was enough to remind Miku of where she was at. Never again would her childhood return. Miku put in her energy to stand herself up without any assistance. 

“You can’t cry here,” Sachiko told her with a smile. “Understand?”

Miku understood well.

This was her new life.

~~~

Winter is ending, and Kokone feels the air growing less cold in passing time. The last day of school as a freshman has finally arrived, and Kokone couldn’t wait for the day to end and her journey as a second year student to begin. Since Len’s departure, the days have become positive again. 

Of course, no one has forgiven themselves for the way they treated Len and Kokone in the past, but certain people have apologized and have asked Kokone to start fresh with them.

“Look, Kokone is coming!” Piko points at her as Kokone casually walks to school with a smile. 

“Good morning, Kokone!” Lui cries out.

“Good morning!” Kokone calls back to them as she enters the building. It doesn’t take long for her to change out her shoes and she skips ahead to her class. Several students see her as she walks ahead and bid her a merry good morning.

“Kokone looks so cheerful today,” Galaco comments.

“It must be because spring is coming,” Nana notes as Kokone walks by and waves at them.

“Kokone, join us for lunch,” Galaco cries out. 

“Okay!” Kokone answers back as she reaches her classroom. The class atmosphere was heavily lively, as students anticipate the last day of school, and they are eager to end their freshman year together. Kokone sits down with a gleeful smile, and she converses happily with Miki and Gumi.

The year is coming to end at last.

~~~

They sit together on the roof as soon as the school bell rings. The year has finally ended. The students leave the school in celebration, and Kokone, along with her friends, meet each other on the roof to celebrate.

“Tomorrow, let’s visit Len,” Piko suggests.

“Yes!”

“Let’s do it!”

“I’ll let him know,” Rin smiles sweetly. Galaco, Piko, and Lui nod happily. Miki and Gumi cheer happily. The group converse happily until the sun begins to set. The gang decides to depart, heading home and planning for a fun day tomorrow.

Only Kokone remains behind, and she stays to draw the sunset. The passion she lost for art returns to her slowly in the past few months, and she sketches to her heart’s content. It isn’t a painting like she normally does in her childhood, and there are no colors. It’s only her pencil and a grayscale sketch of the sunset. As soon as she feels she has completed it, Kokone takes her steps inside the building, only to suddenly be pulled aside.

“You…”

“Anri!?” Kokone pushes her aside, and she notices Anri’s face filled with rage.

“You bitch!” Rune cries out. “You ruined everything!”

“Me?” Kokone softly notes, taken aback at Rune’s accusation. “But you…”

“Don’t even bother saying anything!” Rune cries cruelly as she grabs a fistful of Kokone’s shirt. “I had everything under control! Everyone is pointing fingers at me now and keeping their distance while I get whipped by my witch of a grandmother! I was doing fine until you came along!”

“Same with Rin and Len until you came along.”

Kokone suddenly begins to wonder if she should have remained quiet. Rune’s face worsens with anger, and without a second thought, Kokone finds herself thrown down by Rune.

“To hell with you!”

Kokone’s body tramples downward, and it bruises with each step she falls on. Kokone finds herself powerless to save herself, and all she can do is wait until she reaches the bottom of the stairs. By the end of it all, Kokone’s head receives the worst blow, and she finds her vision darkening with each second passing.

~~~

Miku-nee, it hurts… it hurts!


	23. A New Promise

Kokone skipped happily as she held Kiyoteru’s hand. After having not seen her sister for a few months, the family had finally agreed to visit Miku together. Kokone couldn’t be anymore excited to see her sister, but she found the building to be a sad sight.

It was the first time young Kokone had entered a building filled entire with people she wouldn’t normally see in a normal society. Everyone in the school had one thing in common: they were disabled. Some couldn’t walk. Some couldn’t talk. They couldn’t help it, and Kokone understood that at a young age of six. She also noticed how determined everyone was, seeing they put all their energy together to live each day to the fullest.

“Kiyo-nee,” Kokone looked up at him as they followed behind their parents and two other siblings. “Is this where all people like Miku-nee go to?” She asked innocently.

“Huh?”

“We don’t see them often back home,” Kokone explained. “And when Miku-nee was around, many people would look away from her or wouldn’t stop staring at her.”

“Well…”

Kiyoteru didn’t know how to explain it to his little sister, and he didn’t have time to do so as Meiko opened the door in front of them, entering the bedroom where Miku resided. Her four children followed, and Miku, from her desk, looked up and greeted them with a warm smile.

“Hello mother!” Miku cheered. “Come in! Lapis! Kiyoteru! Kyo! Kokone!” She intended to stand, but her siblings raced to her anyways, asking questions about herself and school, and the five were smiling about. It had been a while since they were all together in a peaceful mood. 

After a few minutes, it all came to an end.

“Mrs. Hatsune?” Behind them, Sachiko stood and call out for Meiko. Kokone glanced at her and noticed very quickly, just how tall and serious she was, and Kokone could tell she was a woman who would not give anyone a spare of grace and forgiveness.

“While you’re here, I am offering to give you a proper tour, since we were unable to do so last time you were here,” Sachiko explained.

“Oh, okay,” Meiko smiled. “Miku, I’ll be back later. Kids, take care of her, okay?” Without another word, their mother left them alone, allowing Miku the chance to tell her siblings how her new school is.

“It’s so different,” Miku explained. “Even though we all have our obstacles, we’re trained to be as independent as possible.” 

“You don’t get help for anything?” Lapis asked.

“No,” Miku shook her head. 

“Sounds terrible,” Kyo sighed.

“No, it’s okay!” Miku smiled. “I met some nice people, and I’m friends with a few classmates here as well,” Miku furthered added. 

As she explained, Miku continued to say only the best of her school life, but she wasn’t willing to admit that she badly wanted to return to her home.

xxx 

She opens her eyes, finding herself in a room of white. Kokone realizes she couldn’t think well as her head screams a painful sensation. The blankets around her keeps her warm, and Kokone doesn’t need to ponder much to know where she is at.

“You’re awake, Kokone?”

Hearing her mother’s voice, Kokone turns her attention towards Meiko.

“Mom?”

“Don’t force yourself to talk,” Meiko tells her softly. “Dr. Camui said you hit your head hard as you fell,” she explains. “Thankfully, it’s nothing serious, but you need to rest for tonight, okay?”

“I see,” Kokone mumbles and she couldn’t keep her eyes open for long. Her mind drifts off, and it isn’t until morning arrives when Kokone wakes up to blue eyes staring at her with worry.

“Lapis told me Anri pushed you down the stairs,” Rin says suddenly. “I’m glad you’re okay! Don’t worry about Anri though. She’s no longer allowed in school and her grandmother kicked her out last night.”

“I see,” Kokone whispers. 

“I’m so sorry,” Rin tells her. “I didn’t know you were entangled in Anri’s mess. If I knew, I’d told you sooner about her…”

“It’s okay, Rin,” Kokone tells her. 

“And everyone is worried,” Rin sighs. “We don’t want to go visit Len without you…”

Kokone doesn’t think twice before saying her next sentence.

“Go see him.”

“Huh?”

“Go without me.”

“But… Kokone.”

“It’s okay for you guys to go and visit Len without me,” Kokone continues. “I just need to rest for the day, that’s all.”

“Kokone…”

“Please?”

She doesn’t say another word. Kokone can tell Rin knows she should continue their plans without her, and after more conversation, Rin leaves, getting ready to visit her brother, while Kokone sleeps for several more hours.

By the time night arrives, Kokone has sat herself up and begins to draw, finding herself drawing the past in a grey sketch. Her head doesn’t hurt so much, and Lapis has informed her that she can return home tomorrow. With that in mind, Kokone sketches without a sound, living in a world of silence until her phone rings. Without checking the caller, she answers without a second thought while placing her sketchbook down.

“Hello?”

“Kokone?”

She recognizes his voice.

“Len?”

“Rin told me what happened to you.”

“It’s okay.”

“Heh, if I wasn’t crippled in bed, I beat the living hell out of that bitch, but it’s over now. Rin told me she’s gone for good, and I don’t ever want to see her again.”

“Yeah, Rin told me she’s expelled and kicked out of her home.”

“Kokone?”

“Yeah?”

“Thank you.”

“Huh?”

Her eyes widen in confusion for a brief second before she continues.

“Thank you?”

“You’ve been a great friend to Rin, even though I was an ass to you.”

“It’s not your fault…”

“No, it is. I can’t stand anyone hurting her, but you proved me wrong every day. You have always been good to her, and I’m getting my punishment for being mean to you.”

“Len…”

“Kokone, while I’m here, continue to keep Rin safe and protect her for me, please? Even if Anri is gone, people could still hurt her, and you’re excellent at protecting her.”

“Yeah,” Kokone nodded. “I’ll continue to look out for her.”

“Thank you.”

xxx 

_Miku-nee_

_Everything seems to get better and better… but only one thing won’t change for the better._

_One day, Len will be gone and out of our lives… but I made a promise to him._

_I’ll protect Rin for him and make her happy.... And I want Len to be happy too._


End file.
